


Horizon

by clover71



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Arranged Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Freeform, M/M, Stream of Consciousness, Suspension Of Disbelief
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-09-08
Packaged: 2018-11-06 08:29:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 25,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11032449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clover71/pseuds/clover71
Summary: Fate decides to twist his boring life around so Otoya ends up losing a job opportunity, his house, his freedom and perhaps his sanity all in one week when he's coaxed into a contract marriage with Tokiya, who isn't exactly his knight in shining armor - more like a ringwraith on a black horse.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> \- **SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF IS HIGHLY NECESSARY**. In case you come across a part where you'll start thinking _'that's impossible...'_ just scroll back to this part of the note.  
>  \- This is based on/inspired by the Korean drama _Full House_. I can't really say I followed the series' plot because I may (or may have not) changed the story flow but the concept is definitely based on it.  
>  \- I wrote this as a writing exercise to combine _freeform_ and _stream of consciousness_ narrative mode, which I often use but only partially so I thought I'd try to narrate using SOC of a particular character's POV in full. Do take note that this fic switches POV though.  
>  \- Written for the prompt square 'fake relationship' in my Trope Bingo Round 6 card (using this amnesty round as an excuse to fill in bingo squares).  
> \- Not really asking for constructive criticism but you may drop a comment if you wish.  
>   
>  **Disclaimer:** I do not own Uta no Prince-sama and its characters. Copyright remains with the game developer, Nippon Ichi Software, Inc., the game's publisher, Broccoli, and the anime creator A-1 Pictures.  
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There's a car parked outside the gate of his house which Otoya doesn't recognize. It's white and shiny and looks really, really expensive so he's pretty sure it doesn't belong to any of his friends, not that he has many and as far as he knows, only one of them has a car. And he rarely gets a visitor so.

"That'll be one thousand and a hundred yen," the driver barks out, startling him out of his musing, and – _oh_ – he realizes that the taxi has pulled up right behind the shiny vehicle.

Otoya pulls out his wallet, his heart sinking when he sees that he has one note left. "I only have a thousand," he says and folds into himself when the driver glares at him like _whoa_ – scary face. 

The man snatches the bill out of his hand though, grumbling about cheapskate passengers and whatever so Otoya takes that as his cue to slip out of the taxi and – _oops_ – the wheel of his travel bag gets stuck but with a little more struggle, he manages to haul it out. _Whew._

A thousand yen! Seriously? He doesn't take the taxi often – like maybe almost never. So he's not really sure but he thinks that's too much for a fare when…well, the train station is just about like 10 minutes away? Technically. Probably. But then, there's the traffic and all because it's tourist season so yeah. A thousand yen.

If only Eiichi would have picked him up but. 

Oh well.

Just as he steps into his front garden, he's quick to notice that there are people inside his house. 

_Burglars?_ Not likely because there hasn't been any case whatsoever of breaking and entering in this area for the past… well, for as long as he's lived here. And… and it's late in the afternoon. He doubts anyone will be dumb enough to trespass any house in broad daylight. Not like anyone will see if they did break into his. 

Otoya slips his shoes off at the foyer, noticing that there are several pairs lined up which he doesn't recall owning. Surely, he doesn't own a pair of red pumps, does he? 

Leaving his rolling luggage and guitar case by the large pot of bamboo palm, he pads into the living room on his socked feet. 

There's a rather attractive man leaning against the backrest of his couch who looks up from his phone, asks, "May I help you?" like _hello?_ … like he owns the place when… when this is _his_ house and he's supposed to be the one asking. 

But.

But Otoya doesn't want to be rude, so he says, "Um," and scratches his head, then flashes the man his brightest smile. "This is my house?"

The man's forehead furrows and he looks at Otoya like… like he's going to punch him or something so Otoya takes a step back and… and… the man says, "That's impossible. Someone – a guy who wears glasses – had sold me this house."

"Glasses?" Otoya parrots but he's more like thinking out loud, wondering who the man is referring to because he knows two guys who wear glasses and they'll never—

"Wavy, dark brown hair, violet eyes," the man supplies, probably noticing the confused expression that Otoya's sure he's wearing. "Has a rather devious and sinister smile."

 _Damn. Shit! Eiichi!_ Otoya screams internally, feeling like… like a vein in his temple is about to burst. 

But then he gets distracted when the man speaks again, saying, "He didn't look trustworthy, if you ask me. So you're saying THIS. Is YOUR house?" putting a bit of emphasis on 'this' and 'your' like… like he doesn't believe Otoya at all.

"Yes. It is." Otoya just hopes this guy will believe him and leave so he can rest because he's so, so tired and frustrated since the job he's hoping to get – the job he went to Tokyo for – didn't pull through. 

"Well, it's mine now. I have all the necessary documents," the man says as he approaches and now that he's closer, Otoya thinks he looks oddly familiar so he starts racking his brain, trying to recall where he's seen this man before.

"Ichinose-san," someone says from behind him, prompting Otoya to turn around. A woman with long, dark hair is standing by the archway with what clearly looks like a fake smile. "We're done arranging your room and moved all the things left there to one of the spare bedrooms. Everything else is set in the kitchen as well. Will there be anything else you need?"

_Wait. What did she say? What room?_

"No, thank you." The man – Ichinose, apparently – waves his hand, saying, "You can all leave now. I can take it from here." 

The woman and the three other people with her seem to be in a hurry to leave, not even sparing Otoya a glance.

 _Ichinose. Ichinose._ Where has Otoya heard that be—

 _Oh shit!_ His head snaps back to the man who now has his arms crossed and um… watching Otoya with a frown, but Otoya disregards all that because… because… "You're Ichinose Tokiya! The famous actor and singer!"

Of course, who else can it be? How did he not recognize him right away?

 _Oh._ Right. He's been busy trying to figure out why there's this stranger in his home who's claiming that this is his house now. Which brings him back to the subject.

"But… but why would a famous celebrity like you be interested in my house? Shouldn't you be buying mansions or something?"

The man – Ichinose – shrugs. "It's simple, no neighbors within fifty meters, practically built in a remote place which lessens the possibility of any paparazzo finding me and it's by the lake. The view is simply amazing. How did you come to acquire this, I wonder."

"My aunt left it to me." Otoya's not sure if he should be sharing the story to this… this stranger – celebrity or not. It's something he prefers to keep as private and remembering only triggers sad memories. "Actually, it belongs to my mother. She was a composer and needed a quiet place to work so when a couple of the songs she composed became a hit, she earned enough money to buy the property and had this house built. She made her sister partial owner so when she passed away, my aunt became sole owner of the place and she's the one who raised me here."

"That's an interesting story to weave in two minutes," Ichinose Tokiya says with blatant sarcasm that Otoya can't help but stare at him with his mouth open because _what the ef?_ He can feel his blood boiling. Literally. "So where's your aunt now?" 

"Dead." The usual pain that haunts him whenever he talks about his aunt doesn't even surface, overwhelmed by the annoyance for this man's rudeness. Seriously!

"I think I've heard enough." Tokiya (yes, Otoya decides to call him Tokiya in his head because… well, because the man is so rude he doesn't deserve to be addressed formally with honorifics so yeah, he's Tokiya now) moves fast. Otoya has barely blinked when this man is already beside him, grabbing him and dragging him straight to and out the front door. "Leave before I call the police," Tokiya says in a threatening way then he slams the door on Otoya's face.

_The nerve!_

Otoya's not going down without a fight. He pounds on the door, hollering, "Let me in you… you arrogant piece of… Argh! Let me in!" 

Not expecting Tokiya to open the door, he almost loses his balance when it disappears just as he's about to hit it with his fist and… and he's starting to think this man has a heart after all but then Tokiya all but throws his bag and guitar on the front step and—

"You jerk!" 

What will he do now? His mind reels back to his conversation with Tokiya and he suddenly remembers Eiichi. If what Tokiya says is true, then Otori Eiichi has done a number on him. 

Was he wrong to trust him? He's known Eiichi, been friends with him since high school. And since his friend is studying law, only that he has to stop this year because of money problems, Otoya consults him on legal matters like… like the documents he needs so he can keep this property. If only he has enough money to hire a lawyer then he won't be in this mess.

If it's true that Eiichi has sold his house to this self-centered celebrity then… that can only mean he's doomed. What is he going to do now?

 

*

 

The first person he thinks of calling is Syo and after giving Syo a rundown of what's going on, he's all, "What the actual fuck! I told you not to trust him! I'm on my way home. I'll meet you at our apartment in thirty minutes."

Syo seems to have already told his roommate and their common friend, Natsuki, about Otoya's situation by the time Otoya arrives because Natsuki greets him with a hug (more like a glomp, really) and says, "Oh Otoya-kun. What Eiichi-kun did is just terrible."

Then… then Tomochika arrives and she's like, "Syo called me. I'm surprised you didn't," with her hands on her hip. 

"I'm sorry I… I would've called you but… but I couldn't think straight." Otoya can feel a bout of stress crawling up his body. 

Tomochika drops the same questions Syo and Natsuki have already asked but Otoya still answers dutifully. Then she folds her arms over he chest and asks, "And where were you when this was all happening?" which brings Otoya back to that dreadful experience.

"I was in Tokyo," he starts then takes a gulp of the juice that Syo has given him. "I got a call a week ago, from a recording company? The man says they received a demo of my music, which I don't recall sending, by the way. But he said they wanted to hear more so he invited me over to meet his boss but…" 

Otoya sucks in a breath before telling them how the boss had previously booked appointments on the first day, was on a board meeting the next, too busy to see him on the third day and finally on the fourth day, the secretary asked if he had a formal appointment. "I told her about the call I received, but I couldn't remember the name of the man who called so she just checked her computer then told me she didn't have it on record that anyone had actually called me and… and my name isn't even on the list of people their boss is expecting."

"Do you think it was a hoax?" Syo asks and he can only offer a shrug because.

"I bet Eiichi was the one who called you so he can lure you away," Tomochika says looking absolutely livid and… well, Otoya wouldn't want to be in Eiichi's shoes at the moment.

Natsuki is the one who prompts him to continue. "What happened after?"

So Otoya tells them how the secretary, probably out of pity, has referred him to an agency. "I went to see the man she asked me to meet the next day. And they listened to my demo, asked me to play a couple more songs and thirty minutes later, they asked how long I'll be staying in Tokyo. I told them I could stay a couple more days, even though I was running out of money. Two days later I got a call from the agency telling me that my music lacks substance? Whatever that means."

"Oh, Otoya." Tomochika's looking at him like he's a kicked puppy or something similarly pitiful, which he probably is. 

"I was really having a rough week and now this." Otoya just can't believe his luck – bad luck in this case. "I can't lose the house guys. It's the only thing I have left of my aunt. And my mother. It's… There's just, you know, so much memories in it. And… I don't know what to do. I don't have much money to buy it back and Tokiya wouldn't even hear me out when I was trying to explain that the house is mine."

"Tokiya?" Tomochika asks with a perfectly arched eyebrow. 

"Yeah. Ichinose Tokiya. He's the one who bought my house."

All three of his friends stare at him like he's grown another head.

"You mean to say…" Tomochika starts in an almost hushed voice as if she's verifying confidential government information that can potentially put her life in danger, "THE Ichinose Tokiya – The actor. The singer. The all-in-one idol package – now owns your house?" 

When Otoya nods with a lackadaisical, "Yeah," she shrieks and screams loud enough to wake up the dead.

Natsuki covers her mouth and over the muffled noise, he asks, "Otoya-kun. Did you ever authorize Eiichi-kun to sign legal documents on your behalf?"

Otoya thinks real hard and remembers Eiichi telling him how it will be easy to handle things like taxes if he can just sign without having to bother Otoya so… "Yeah, I think I did." He's not sure though?

"Maybe you can try asking Tokiya-kun to show you the deed of sale," Natsuki suggests. "That way you can check if it's legally binding."

Syo interrupts with, "Tokiya-kun, huh? Aren't you being too familiar?" 

Tomochika steps in to Natsuki's defense, saying, "Well he did say more than once in several interviews that he prefers being addressed by his given name." Then she turns to him. "Natsuki's right. Ask for any proof that your house was sold to him. Have you heard from Eiichi by the way?"

Otoya shakes his head. "No. I tried calling him several times while at the train station and on the way here. It seems his line has been disabled."

"Oh fuck. I wonder if the rumor is true," Tomochika says almost thoughtfully, as if… like she's thinking out loud, her finger playing with a lock of her red hair.

Otoya sure hasn't heard any rumor about his friend so. "Rumor?" 

"Yeah." The frown on Tomochika's face deepens that it makes him even more curious so he leans closer just as she starts explaining that, "There's hearsay that Eiichi owes some Yakuza a shit load of money. If that's true then that explains why he sold your house and is now M-I-A."

 

*

 

Not that he's a hundred percent knowledgeable on legal documents, but the deed of sale sure looks legit, which can only mean that yeah, Tokiya's the new owner of this house. 

Otoya's chest tightens as if… as if a large invisible hand is squeezing his heart and his eyes prickle, his vision is starting to get blurry and… and…

How can Eiichi do this? 

"So you're saying…" Tokiya's voice startles him out of his thoughts so he looks up and listens to him articulate, "That this Otori Eiichi is your friend?" in his usual impassive way.

"Yeah. He is." Or was – is what he'd like to say, after what that… that bastard did.

"And you didn’t authorize him or ask him in any way to sell this house?" There's still the hint of incredulity in Tokiya's tone that just makes Otoya really, really frustrated.

"No. I didn't." 

Tokiya says, "Well—" but is interrupted by the music blasting from somewhere in his pocket. Otoya watches him pull his phone out with remarkable grace then he checks the screen, mutters, "Damn it," as he springs up on his feet and meanders away, but not far enough that Otoya can still hear his voice.

"What?" Tokiya practically yells into his phone. "No, forget it. I'm not interested," he says then he starts pacing. "Have you forgotten the scandal that woman dragged me into two years ago? Do you have any idea what she's like?"

Tokiya falls silent for a moment, and then he sighs, says, "Absolutely not. I don't care what the press says. I don't care if the public is going to buy it. I refuse to be in a movie with her and I am not going to pretend I'm in any way involved with that woman."

Another pause. 

"Let her threaten, for all I care," Tokiya snaps. "I don't want to be within ten feet of her. Tell her… tell her manager—" His gaze lands on Otoya when he pivots around and he stares at him like he just discovered a mine full of gold. "Tell them I can't be romantically linked with anyone right now, regardless if it's only for publicity, because I'm involved with someone."

Then he ends the call, the hand that's gripping his phone falls on his side. He tosses his phone on the table, slides back on the couch, still staring at Otoya with a visible sparkle on his turquoise-blue eyes.

"Say," Tokiya leans against the backrest, crosses his legs and cups his knees with both hands. "You want this house back, right?"

Otoya nods, answers, "Yyyes," way too cautiously because… because it sounds like a trick question and he's been tricked one too many, thank you very much.

"Do you think you can buy it back?" is what Tokiya asks next and Otoya shakes his head, thinking that unless he wins the lottery, no, he won't be able to buy it back. Besides, why should he? It's his house and—

"Maybe we can make some sort of compromise." Coming from Tokiya, it sounds awfully like a business proposal – the kind that… that normally makes Otoya go _huh?_

"Compromise?"

Then Tokiya asks, "Are you involved with anyone right now? I mean romantically?" which—

"What?" He can't help but wonder where this is going but when Tokiya doesn't say anything, perhaps not wanting to reiterate or something, Otoya just says, "No, I'm not," hoping that he's not losing his chance to get his house back.

"Good." Tokiya's lips curve up just a little but it can pass as a smile and he looks real cute considering. "Why don't we get married?"

"Get what?" Otoya's not sure if he's heard it correctly, but surely, Tokiya isn't asking him to marry him, right?

"Get married. Nothing big, just a private ceremony," Tokiya says as if he's discussing something as simple as the weather. "We can write up a contract, just between us, stating what we get out of this arrangement." 

"Arrangement?" Otoya wonders if Tokiya is under the influence of some kind of drugs because. "Why?"

A hint of impatience crosses Tokiya's face. His leg slides off his knee and he leans forward, elbows resting on his thighs. "I figure it's a perfect way to drill into my manager's head and hopefully keep the public from turning a blind eye that I'm gay. And I hope this will stop my manager from forcing me into situations like making a movie with this actress – you don't need to know who she is – and pretend I'm involved with her. "

"I see," are the only coherent words Otoya can manage right now. He does remember watching this talk show where Tokiya literally came out of the closet and later told the host that… well, that he's not interested in women but… "What's in it for me?"

Tokiya straightens up, gaze fixed on Otoya when he says, "Well, if you stay married with me, say, for at least a year, I'll give you this house back. No payment whatsoever. Like I said, we'll write a contract or more like terms of agreement stating what I expect from you and what you will get in return."

Somehow, Otoya has this gut feeling that he's on a hot seat for one of those popular prank shows and expects Tokiya to jump up and say _"You've been pranked!"_ or something along those lines. But Tokiya seems like on edge, sort of. And Otoya is hyper curious so. "So if I agree, I get the house back?" Tokiya nods. "For free?"

"Only if you stay married with me for at least a year." 

That sounds fair… maybe? "Is that all I need to do?" 

"You'll have to live here with me, of course," Tokiya says, sounding absolutely resolute. "Otherwise, the media and the public in general will question our marriage's validity. But you'll have your own room. And… do you work?"

Otoya nods. "Not the office kind of work. I usually work from home. I compose jingles for TV ads for a small ad agency? Nothing big, just enough to pay the bills and keep food on the table."

"Well you won't have to worry about the money. I'll cover the bills and grocery expenses, but you'll have to do most of the shopping," Tokiya says in a way that it's clear he's not leaving any room for argument. "In return, you'll have to clean the house, do the laundry, water the plants and—"

"Just be your housewife," slips past Otoya's lips before he can bite his tongue – _Omigosh!_

Tokiya's eyes narrow. "Of course, you can say no, forget we ever discussed this but—"

"No I'll do it!" Otoya blurts out then mentally berates himself for not thinking twice because… because this is absolutely crazy! 

"You sure?" Tokiya seems to be testing his resolve and Otoya can't blame him, probably noticed that he's… he's literally shaking.

Throwing all caution to the wind, Otoya says, "Yes. I just… I need Horizon back." 

"Horizon?" A mixture of confusion and curiosity seems to be written on Tokiya's face so he's compelled to explain.

"My mom… she uh, she called this house Horizon."

A momentary silence falls upon them and Otoya is still waiting for someone to jump out and tell him that this is all a joke, for Eiichi to just show up and—and tell him, _"I can't believe you fell for that. Of course I didn't sell your house. How can I do that?"_

But nothing of that sort happens. 

Tokiya's the first to break the proverbial ice, says, "Very well," and flips a lock of his midnight blue hair away from his face. "We'll have to make the announcement dramatic."

"Announcement?" Otoya's starting to feel so dumb for repeating a word in just about everything Tokiya says.

"Yes. Do you have anything nice to wear? Nothing formal, just something for casual parties."

Otoya thinks he has enough decent clothes, not that he goes to parties but—

"That's fine if you don't," Tokiya says, interrupting his thoughts and before he can protest, tell Tokiya that yes, he does have some nice clothes, Tokiya is already saying, "We can pick up something later. The party isn't until tomorrow night, anyway. For now let's work on the contract."

 

*

 

It's some sort of a pre-production party for a movie that Tokiya is about to make. There are so many celebrities that – _oh my, is that Misuzhima Hiro? He's so handsome! I mean, not that I find him attractive but… yeah._ – Otoya feels the beginning of a neck sprain from turning his head every so often. 

"Ichinose-kun." Someone – _oh my dear Kami, it's Shirota Yu! Breathe, Otoya, breathe._ – comes up to them to shake Tokiya's hand. "Our second movie together. Looking forward to working with you again."

"Same here, Shirota-san," Tokiya says with the widest smile Otoya has seen on him since he met this man who is practically stoic most of the time. "Oh, by the way, this is my friend – special friend – Ittoki Otoya."

Not expecting to be introduced, Otoya is startled out of his… well, internal fanboying, and the word 'special' that Tokiya used so casually throws him off so he stammers out, "H-hu-hi. N-nice to meet you." 

Shirota Yu grabs his hand in a gentle handshake, says, "Pleasure is mine, Ittoki-kun," and his skin is so… so soft and… and…. "Hope you enjoy the party. I'll see you both around."

Tomochika will surely lose her shit if she's here with him. Speaking of his red-haired friend, she's been sending text messages incessantly (keeping his phone on vibrate mode is probably the best decision he's made today) since that morning, reminding him to take pictures, to… to ask for autographs – all of which he has no guts to do, not with Tokiya watching him like a hawk, probably to make sure he doesn't do anything all embarrassing or whatever.

"Ichi." Another guy – Otoya is quick to recognize him as Jinguji Ren – approaches them, hands in his pant pockets. "I thought you weren't coming."

Tokiya makes some sort of derisive sound through his nose. "Wouldn't miss this for the world." He introduces him in passing before asking, "Is she here?" and by 'she' Otoya guesses Tokiya is referring to the actress he so wants to avoid.

"Yeah. She's been looking for you." Jinguji Ren says and Otoya doesn't expect the ginger blond to acknowledge him or something but he does. "And hello Ittoki-kun. Nice shirt. Goes perfect with your hair." His eyes travel down Otoya's body, which makes his face burn.

"Um. Thanks, Jiinguji-san. Please just… call me Otoya?" he says, nearly stumbling on his words.

"I think I prefer calling you, Ikki." The man leans closer, says, "And do call me Ren," against his ear then leans away and turns to Tokiya. "Where have you been hiding him all this time, Ichi? Is it safe to assume he's the reason you moved and wouldn't give me your new address?"

Light laugher flutter out of Tokiya's mouth and the sound is so, so foreign that Otoya can't help but gape at him. "You got me, Ren."

"Tokiya!" A female voice hollers.

"Here we go," Ren says and he takes a step back with a look that suggests he's about to see something amusing.

"Is it true that you refused to do a movie with me?" the woman – who Otoya recognizes as the actress Matsuda Sumiye – says with a hand planted on her hip.

"I'm afraid it is." Tokiya seems to square his shoulders. "The movie in question has a lot of indecent scenes involving the characters we're supposed to be playing and it's rather untimely to do something like that at the moment."

The actress crosses her arms and turns her nose up when she asks, "And why is that?"

"Because…" Warm fingers curl around Otoya's wrist. "I'm getting married."

The woman snorts, clearly not believing him. "Yeah? With who?"

The sudden sharp tug on his arm makes him lose his balance and he falls against Tokiya. Then he feels Tokiya's arm coil around his waist but before Otoya can ask what he's doing, Tokiya says, "With him," then his mouth crashes on his and— _oh_ —they're… they're kissing, and… and even though Tokiya's pressing real hard, his lips feel soft and… and he tastes like peppermint and he's um… he's really a good kisser? 

Lights flash around them and Otoya can hear people murmuring. Then the murmurs turn into hushed chattering and then… and then there are people shouting, "Tokiya! Who is this guy? Is he your boyfriend?" 

When Tokiya pulls away, he lifts Otoya's hand to his lips and kisses the finger where he has slid on a white gold ring earlier.

"What the—" someone says. 

"What does that ring mean, Tokiya?"

"Is that what I think it is?"

"An engagement ring?"

And that's how Otoya's life starts to go downhill.

 

*

 

_Tokyo Entertainment News here with a scoop that's been creating a buzz around Tokyo and probably the whole of Japan. People are asking whether it's true or not and we manage to get some proof._

_Sorry, boys and girls, but it's real as it can be._

_One of the hottest idols in the entertainment industry, 24-year-old, Ichinose Tokiya, has dropped his single status when he exchanged wedding vows yesterday with a dashing young man named Ittoki Otoya, an amateur composer who we've heard prefers to keep a low profile so all we can tell you is that he's a year younger than our gorgeous idol and that their relationship is what you can call a whirlwind romance._

_Will they create a storm within the entertainment world? Or will Tokiya's wish to keep this side of his life private win over?_

_We'll have to find out in the next few weeks._

_Congratulations is in order._

 

*

 

His friends – Tomochika specially – think that being married to Tokiya is like a fairy tale but um… that isn't exactly true.

Tokiya is… well, he's really a nice guy… maybe? At least that's what he wants to believe. Because. Because in reality, the man is like a walking nightmare!

Upside is that he's not around most of the day, probably busy with photo shoots, interviews and whatever a celebrity does everyday. Tokiya almost never tells him where he's going anyway and Otoya couldn't care less.

So when he's not at home, Otoya does most of the things written on Tokiya's list or contract or terms of agreement or more accurately, Otoya's job description as the housewife or houseband, if that's even a word. He cleans the house, does the laundry where Tokiya's clothes are always, always three times as much as his own. Just… just how many times does he change in a day anyway?

Otoya rarely cooks dinner for his _beloved_ husband since he comes home late. Or has had dinner already when he arrives. Which is actually a good thing because he can just cook whatever he likes. If he's cooking for Tokiya, he always needs to prepare something um… something healthy. Who would've thought this guy's a health buff?

The nightmare happens when Tokiya comes home earlier than usual. At first, he ignores him and heads up to his bedroom – which is one more thing that annoys him to the absolute degree because… because it's – or was, as Tokiya has eloquently put it – his bedroom but he's been forced to migrate to a spare room that he uses as a storage room.

Then… then Tokiya will come down and inspect everything, as in check every little corner and runs a finger on a surface then tells him, "Exactly how did you wipe this? The dust is still thick enough for me to write on it," or something similar.

Otoya can read. He knows it specifically states in the contract that he needs to sweep and polish the floor, dust or wipe the furniture, water the plants, wipe the windows and glass doors, clean the bathroom, clean the kitchen, do the laundry, cook meals whenever necessary, do grocery shopping and a long list of other things that is usually expected out of a house maid.

But. There's just nowhere in the contract where it states that he needs to polish the floor until it's extremely shiny to the point that he can see his own reflection. 

Or… or that he needs to wipe the sliding glass door leading to the balcony facing the lake until it's gleaming from floor to ceiling. 

Or that he picks up everything on the grocery list and has to arrange everything strategically and alphabetically by brand in the refrigerator and kitchen or bathroom or storage room cabinets and shelves and wherever else he needs to put them away.

Whenever he's on the verge of strangling Tokiya, he calls Syo, who tells him, "Well, you've known the guy for only a week and then you married him, so expect the unexpected," which… well, he does have a point, but a lecture isn't what he needs so.

He calls Tomochika, who then says, "Aww… you guys are still in the honeymoon phase, I see," like what? Didn't she hear a word Otoya has said?

Tokiya usually leaves early, like eight in the morning is early for Otoya, so he's surprised to see him in the kitchen table reading the newspaper at nine. Then he says, "What do I have to do to get breakfast around here?" without looking up, just….

"I didn't know you were going to be around for breakfast. I usually just have a toast with jam and coffee, but…" Well, Otoya's not about to use rudeness to respond to rudeness, if that makes sense. "What would you like?"

Tokiya's eyes snap up to meet his but he doesn't say anything so Otoya says, "Fine. I can't really make a perfect tamagoyaki so how 'bout western style veggie omelet with steamed tofu and seasoned nori on the side?"

An audible sigh escapes through Tokiya's lips, his eyes sliding back on the paper when he says, "Just hurry up and don't wait for me to pass out from hunger."

"Yes, boss," Otoya jests and really, he means it as a light joke but. 

Tokiya slams the paper on the table and glares at him. "Are you being sarcastic?"

Otoya's quick to react, says, "Of course not," then buries his head into the refrigerator.

By noon time, Tokiya is still at home, lounging in the living room while watching a DVD of Miyano Mamoru's concert. Otoya doesn't miss the wistful expression that settles on Tokiya's face.

He claims the spot on the couch next to his um, supposedly husband, saying, "You haven't had any concert for the past year, have you?" not that he's keeping tabs on Tokiya but… well, he married the guy so he's taken the liberty of finding out what he's been doing.

Tokiya gives him a side glance and says, "Have you prepared lunch yet?' which has him springing back up on his feet to make a beeline to the kitchen.

"I'm on it."

An hour before dinnertime, Otoya seeks out Tokiya to ask what he wants for a meal and finds him at the balcony. But Tokiya's all, "Why don't we just go out for dinner?" then takes him to this really expensive-looking restaurant where the food is okay but not something that will make him go _oh, wow, this is super delicious,_ but it's still okay and.

Light flashes from a corner and when Otoya turns to the source, he sees a man holding up a camera.

The smile that curves on Tokiya's lips looks somehow satiric when he says, "Welcome to my life."

 

*

 

Otoya is just about ready to start Friday morning like usual – something that involves scrubbing the bathroom in Tokiya's room or the one down the hall – when he gets a call from Masato who asks him to drop by his office so he can discuss a new project that he believes Otoya's music style will be perfect for, or so he says.

So he's almost out the door, guitar case slung on his shoulder, when he hears Tokiya's voice. "Where are you going?"

Startled, he whirls around to find his husband leaning against the wall, arms crossed and is watching him like he's a prisoner trying to escape.

Just what exactly is Tokiya's deal? He can leave the house any time he pleases without so much as a word but… but Otoya needs to keep him informed if he's the one leaving? Whatever. He doesn't have time to analyze he's uh… he's so-called husband's behavior so he says, "To the ad agency that I told you I work for? The boss called, said he has a project for me," hoping that will be enough.

But then Tokiya asks, "What time will you be back?" which makes him go _huh?_ and thinks, _What the hell?_

It's quite a struggle to stay calm, but he does when he says, "I don't know how long it will take," which is true. "Probably late in the afternoon?"

Then Tokiya walks over to him in what seems like cautious strides or whatever and he says, "Well, I'm leaving before lunch, production meeting, so I guess I'll see you at dinner?"

Somehow, there's like a very tiny hint of sincerity and… and amity maybe, in Tokiya's words that makes Otoya feel like he's walking on air so he says, "Yeah. I guess so," and practically skips all the way to the train station.

The feeling sticks with him like some sort of good luck, because he ends up getting the project and Masato treats him out for lunch. 

While at the restaurant, Otoya spies a couple of men with large cameras lurking outside – _oh crap_ – and Masato apparently notices them as well.

"Guess you have it bad," Masato says, shaking his head. "I forgot to congratulate you on your marriage. I wasn't aware you knew Ichinose Tokiya." 

Otoya is so tempted to say _I wasn't aware either,_ but then he remembers the contract and uh, number one on the list is that they're not allowed – both of them – to let anyone else know that the contract exists and that their um… marriage is simply a business arrangement of some sort, so he just shrugs and says, "Everything happened so fast," which isn't a lie?

It's only a quarter past three in the afternoon when he gets home, earlier than expected, leaving him plenty of time to plan for dinner. So he consults the internet for recipes that he thinks – hopes – will meet Tokiya's taste. 

He starts cooking at six, sets the table by seven. When eight o' clock strikes and Tokiya isn't home yet, he sends him a text message and tries to call but he gets thrown to Tokiya's voice mail so he um, presumes that Tokiya's probably stuck in the meeting or something so he just waits. And waits. 

By ten, his stomach starts grumbling like _oh_ and--- So he uh, so he forces himself to eat but after a couple of bites, he realizes that he has… that he has lost his appetite, so he chucks the remaining food on his plate in the trash bin and… and…

 _Oh my golly,_ why does his chest hurts so much and why does it feel like... like his heart is in his throat. Is he seriously upset? Or is he worried? Or… or maybe both?

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had this idea sitting in my head for two months now but couldn't find the time to write it. I was inspired to use Otoya as the initial narrator when I heard that Ozawa Ren (picture on the right) is playing him (or aka Otoyaemon) at the Gekidan Shining Tenka Muteki no Shinobi michi stage play. It runs next month ~~but they haven't even started rehearsals yet :/~~  
>  **ETA:** I was wrong. They had started rehearsals a couple of weeks ago. Below are the actors playing Syo (Shonosuke), Masato (Masakage), Otoya (Otoyaemon) and Cecil (Cecil-maru). ([ source](https://twitter.com/gekidan_shining))  
>    
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> ---|---


	2. Chapter 2

  


It's only when he's sliding out of Reiji's car that he remembers to turn on his phone. He has turned it off during the meeting and has forgotten about it because Ren all but drags him to a bar after said meeting is over. 

They end up drinking more than their limit so they're forced to leave their cars at the bar's parking lot and he's left with no choice but to call his manager and request for a ride home. Of course he has to bear the consequence of having to listen to Reiji's lecture for the past hour and a half.

The time '12:22 AM' flashes on his phone's screen. Just as he's about to open the gate, he is startled out of inebriation when he sees Otoya curled up against the left column of the portico. And when the redhead doesn't even stir or look up at the sound of creaking metal as he steps in, he realizes that Otoya is actually asleep. 

Tokiya taps him gently on the shoulder, says, "Otoya? I'm home," and feels his heart plunges down his stomach when Otoya's eyes flutter open and a small smile forms on his lips.

"Tokiya?" Otoya says then his lips part to let a yawn escape. 

"What are you doing out here? And you didn't even cover yourself up well," he admonishes, noticing that Otoya's only wearing his red cardigan over a tee. "I know spring has started, but the winter chill still lingers the air."

Otoya gets up on his feet, tucks his hands in his cardigan's pockets, says, "I was waiting for you. I couldn't contact you so I got worried," then sneezes, hand flying over his nose. 

Guilt stabs at Tokiya, recalling that he did tell Otoya he'll be home by dinnertime or… or something similar. 

In his defense, he did intend to be home early if Ren hadn't invited him for drinks and he just lost track of time.

Besides, why should he be obliged to keep his promise to someone who he has no relation with whatsoever? In a realistic view of things, that is. 

Regardless of what he tells himself though, he still feels a sharp twinge in his chest that washes away the apathy he has reserved for the redhead. 

"I'm sorry, I should've called," he says with sincerity, surprising even himself because he's rarely sincere when apologizing. Years in the entertainment industry has made him live with the belief that showing remorse is a sign of vulnerability.

"It's okay. I figured you were probably stuck in that meeting." Otoya trails after him and once inside, he says, "I made dinner. If you're hungry."

The guilt that's been gnawing at him intensifies and Tokiya doesn't understand why. He's not supposed to care. Why then does he feel… well, like this? "I've already had dinner. The meeting did take long so they just had food catered. I would've gotten home early, but Ren wanted to have a few drinks."

"Oh." Otoya blinks up at him.

"Don't worry, my manager drove me home. I had to leave my car in Tokyo so…" Why in the world does he find the need to explain? Tokiya blames the alcohol for tilting him off his axis.

Once upstairs, he shuts himself in his room without uttering another word to Otoya, willing the image of the redhead out of his mind.

 

*

 

Tokiya jerks awake at the raucous sound from his phone, the familiar ring tone immediately registering in his clouded mind. 

He bolts upright and as soon as the phone touches his ear, he hears Reiji's shrill voice screaming, "Toki! Where the hell are you? The driver of the car I've sent to pick you up said he's been waiting outside your house for almost an hour and no one's coming out even though he's been hitting the car horn and has been ringing your doorbell incessantly!"

 _Oh shit._ " I just woke up, Reiji."

"Just woke up?" Reiji practically shrieks. "Toki, it's almost nine in the morning. You have a script reading at ten. Unless you fly over here or teleport, you won't make it in time. It's a couple of hours drive from your place considering the traffic."

"Shit. I'm going, I'm going." He jabs on his phone's screen to end the call and rushes over to his bathroom, takes the quickest shower he's ever had and gets dressed in record breaking time. 

Once downstairs, he doesn't miss the absence of any form of sound so he presumes that Otoya has probably gone out or is probably still asleep. 

The drive to Tokyo is quick. The driver seems to know the shortest route so Tokiya arrives at the production office at a quarter past ten with the lousiest hangover and a serious case of car sickness. Not even the special herbal tea he's been given can keep his stomach from doing somersaults and his head from throbbing like his brain is trying to break out of his skull.

Tokiya's pretty aware that he's making a complete embarrassing mess during the entire script reading. To his surprise, his fellow cast members pat him on the back when it's over, telling him that he's done a good job.

"Why is everyone being nice?" he asks Ren as soon as they reach the building's lobby.

Ren snorts and shakes his head. "You know, Ichi. What I admire about you the most is regardless if you look like your soul is being sucked into hell, you're still able to give your best performance and what makes it really amusing is that you don't seem to be aware of it."

Apparently, Ren is a good actor himself so Tokiya can't tell right now if he's being honest or he's pulling his leg to make him feel less shitty. "Stop, Ren. You're only making my headache worse."

Ren barks a laugh. "I guess having drinks is out of the question. How about I buy you a cup of coffee or tea? I know a café that can whip up a concoction that's perfect for hangovers."

It sounds scary, coming from Ren, but Tokiya figures it won't hurt to try. He needs to feel better before he picks up his car and go through that long drive home.

As soon as they step out of the building though, a swarm of press people and most likely a handful of paparazzi crowd around them but the pain in his head prevents him from understanding the questions thrown his way. 

Then a woman practically blocks his path, shoves a recorder on his face, and asks, "Tokiya, what can you say about the rumor that your husband is cheating on you?"

"My what?" It takes a while for him to realize that she's referring to Otoya. 

"Your husband?" The woman reiterates. "It's all over the papers. He's been photographed having lunch with a handsome young man."

By papers, Tokiya's sure she means tabloids. "And why does having lunch with someone make you think he's cheating?" It's unbelievable how these people's minds work. He knows it's pointless to try using logic so he ignores the rest of them and slides his sunglasses on to avoid eye contact.

Tokiya is already an expert in pushing past a horde of reporters so they're able to reach Ren's car in no time. Once he's inside, he sees Ren grab a paper from one of the reporters, tosses it into the backseat and slides into the driver's side.

"I'm sure it's not true," Ren says as they're driving out of the parking lot. 

"I'm not worried." Truth is, there's a lump the size of a fist stuck in his chest that makes it hard to breathe. And it seems his heart has migrated up to his ears because his heartbeat is ten times louder than usual.

The café Ren's referring to is somewhere within the suburban area, quite far from the commercial district so it provides some sort of privacy. And Ren seems to be a regular because he tells the woman behind the counter, "The usual, Ayami-chan. And your hangover tea for my friend."

They choose a seat at the corner far from the windows and Ren slams the paper on the table once they're seated. 

Tokiya takes the tabloid, turns one page after another until he finds the picture he's searching for. There's nothing incriminating about it, really. Otoya is simply leaning on the table with his arms crossed, lips stretched into a wide smile. The man he's with is good-looking indeed, sporting a hime-cut blue hair and dressed in casual business attire. But the still shot shows the man is simply drinking from a wine glass. Just what possessed the paparazzi and reporters to think that these two are out on a date or something? 

There are two other smaller pictures that aren't in any way suggestive, at least in Tokiya's opinion. He dares not read the content because he expects it to be nothing but bullshit. But out of curiosity, he checks the caption where it says that the man with Otoya is Hijirikawa Masato, general manager of an advertising firm. 

"Stupid press," he mutters, shaking his head.

"Wait." Ren says, snatching the paper from him, his forehead furrowing as he stares at the picture.

"That's Otoya's boss he's having lunch with," Tokiya explains. "Judging from what Otoya's wearing in that picture, I'm guessing that was taken the day he had a meeting with that guy to discuss a new project." 

"I know this guy," Ren says almost inaudibly that Tokiya asks him to say it again. "I know this guy. He's a childhood friend. And we went to the same idol school together." His head snaps up and he reaches out to grab Tokiya's wrist.

"Ichi, I need to talk to your husband. Please. I haven't seen Hijirikawa for the past seven years. If Ikki can tell me where to find him...."

Tokiya has never seen Ren look so… so desperate – desperate close to breaking, that is. 

Reiji and his people are the only ones who know where he lives now since Reiji's the one who found the place for him, and his people are the ones who helped Tokiya move in. He doesn't really have any plans of letting else anyone know but. Well, Ren's been his friend for years, so he deems he's trustworthy enough.

"You can come with me, about time you see my new place anyway. Then you can ask Otoya where you can find this guy," he says then quickly adds, "But you have to promise not to tell anyone where I live."

"Of course, Ichi. You can trust me." Gone is the smug look that Ren usually wears. Ren looks almost… hopeful? And wistful. Then he cusses, "Shit," and rubs his forehead with his hand. "I have an interview at six that I doubt I can get out of. Do you think you can—"

"No, Ren," Tokiya cuts him off, knowing Ren will ask him to wait around, which he's so not in the mood to do. Not today. "I really want to call it a day and head home. Maybe next time." 

"Yeah." Ren looks rather heartbroken and it makes him wonder just who exactly this Hijirikawa Masato is in Ren's life. "Thanks Icchi."

A waitress comes over their table and places a cup of steaming coffee in front of Ren and a mug filled thick, foamy brown concoction that looks a little more like mud. 

"Drink it," Ren says. "Trust me. You'll feel a lot better afterwards."

Tokiya thinks it will be more like he won't feel a thing anymore after taking this – whatever it is – because he's pretty sure he'll end up dead.

 

*

 

The house is as quiet as a grave when he arrives, almost dark since the sun is starting to set. Otoya probably isn't home, he thinks, but then when he steps into the living room and turns on the light, he's surprised to see the redhead sprawled on the divan – the same divan he has specifically told Otoya not to sleep on. 

The living room is in disarray – vacuum standing in the middle, broom lying on the floor, rags scattered on the tea table, and while it isn't exactly dirty, it's clear that no cleaning has been done.

Oh, he can feel his headache returning. Is this guy really testing his patience?

With forthright intention to shake Otoya out of slumber, he marches up to the redhead in five long strides then grabs him by the shoulder but… hot. Otoya seems hot. Like literally. Tokiya can feel the heat emanating through the fabric of Otoya's shirt. On impulse, he touches Otoya's forehead and – _Shit, he's burning up!_

"Otoya?" He brushes the red fringes off of his husband's face. His. Husband. He hasn't really thought of Otoya that way. Of course, he's aware that they're married, but for him, this is nothing but a business arrangement. 

All he gets in response is a groan but Otoya doesn't stir awake. He notices the redhead is shivering so Tokiya takes his jacket off and spreads it over Otoya's body. Then he rushes up the stairs, grabs a blanket and a couple of pills for fever and returns to the redhead to cover him up and he tries to rouse him again.

This time Otoya does open his eyes and he suddenly sits up. "Tokiya! You're home. I…" he says in a hoarse voice. "I'm sorry. I must've fallen asleep. I haven't… I haven't cleaned up yet."

"It's fine just…." Tokiya hands him the pills. "Here. Take this. It should help bring your fever down. Let me get you a glass of water." He rushes towards the kitchen to do just that then heads back to the living room, wheedles Otoya into taking the medicine and pushes him back down gently. "You should rest." And before he can even start asking himself what the _fuck_ he's doing, he's already saying, "What would you like for dinner? I make a mean miso soup, you know."

A small smile takes shape on Otoya's lips and the sight seems to melt the proverbial ice around Tokiya's heart and when Otoya says, "Thank you, Tokiya," in a soft, sweet voice that coaxes the corners of Tokiya's mouth to curl up, he recognizes the telltale signs that he's slowly losing control of the situation.

 

*

 

When Tokiya pads down the stairs the next morning, he finds Otoya in the kitchen, specifically, in front of the stove. "Aren't you supposed to be resting?" 

Otoya looks over his shoulder. "I feel a lot better, thanks. The tea you gave me must've worked like magic."

"That was actually honey and ginger. I'm surprised you drank it all," Tokiya says while he steals a peak at what Otoya's cooking. It seems another failed attempt at making tamagoyaki which ends up as a scrambled egg and he watches Otoya pour it in a plate and sprinkle it with seasoned nori.

"Well," Otoya says while he fills a tray with the plate full of eggs; another plate filled with slices of spam and two bowls of rice. "My taste buds weren't working yesterday that's why I was able to gobble it down." 

Tokiya grabs the chopsticks, follows Otoya to the dining table, says, "By the way," as he takes a seat across the redhead, deciding to take advantage of the moment to ask about Ren's friend when they're acting all civil. "You remember, Ren, right?" Otoya nods. "He wanted to ask you about that guy who you were with, the one who owns the ad agency? Some paparazzi took a picture of you guys when you were having lunch or something and Ren saw it in the paper yesterday."

Otoya looks confused and Tokiya can't blame him. "What about him?" 

"Ren says he's a childhood friend but hasn't seen him in seven years. So he's hoping you can tell him where to find this guy."

"Oh." Otoya takes a bite from a piece of spam then drops it on his bowl. "Well, he's at the ad agency most of the day. I think. I can give Ren the office address."

"Thanks." And when he is about to shove some eggs into his mouth, his phone rings and he thinks, _speak of the devil_ as he sees Ren's name flashing on the screen. He foregoes pleasantries and asks, "What is it?"

"Oh my, I hope I didn't catch you in a bad mood," is what Ren says in his usual sugary tone.

"Not really. I am having breakfast with my husband," he says, putting a little emphasis on 'my husband.'

"Well, that's sweet." Ren seems to be on the road or out on the street since Tokiya can hear cars passing by. "Anyway, I'm calling to tell you that I found out the name of the ad agency Hijirikawa runs. Had to sweet talk my way through that lady reporter. And I also got the address so I'm right in front of the building now. I figured if your husband works here then you probably live around the area."

"Probably." Tokiya hesitates because one – he doesn't know exactly where the ad agency is located so he's not sure if it is indeed in the same area and two – now that Ren has found his old friend's office, Tokiya wonders if there is still a need to disclose where he lives.

"So maybe I can drop by your place later?" Ren says, sounding hopeful.

"Call me when you're done visiting." That should give him enough time to mull over the situation. 

"Okay. Later." Ren's the one to end the call.

Otoya wears a look that seems to ask _What was that all about?_ but he remains tightlipped and again, Tokiya can't blame him when he's the one who's been keeping the redhead at arms length. 

"That was Ren," he says, taking the initiative to explain. "Looks like he found the ad agency. I've forgotten how resourceful he can be."

"Oh. Do you think I should warn Masa that he's coming?"

Tokiya shakes his head. "Too late for that. Ren is already there."

 

*

 

So they start filming the movie a week later and Tokiya finds himself spending more time on location which. It's normal and he's used to it, been doing this for years, but there's something different, like he feels rather homesick.

When he doesn't go home for three days in a row, Otoya calls him, asks how he is and just hearing the redhead's voice makes him feel oddly relieved. 

The next day, after shooting a particular action-filled scene with Ren and Shirota Yu, Tokiya is so ready to climb into his trailer to rest but then one of the production assistants, Haruka, comes up to him, says, "Ichinose-san, your husband is here," to his shock because… well, he's not expecting Otoya to be there.

And what surprises him even more is that Otoya is there to bring him food, when he shouldn't have bothered because they have catered meals, but for some bizarre reason, he can't find it in his heart to disappoint Otoya so he takes the bento, says, "Thanks," and starts digging into the stir-fried vegetables. 

It's about five days later when Tokiya is stuck on location yet again and Otoya comes over with another bento. This time though, he brings another one for Ren. And Tokiya feels this sharp twist somewhere between his chest and his gut which he doesn't have a name for. 

But then Otoya tells Ren that, "Masa made that for you," and the curdling sensation dissipates in an instant.

He finds himself asking, "Masa?" though, not that he's interested to know or anything, just seems to make sense that he says something.

Otoya then says, "Hijirikawa Masato. The ad agency boss?" and somehow his curiosity is piqued.

As soon as Otoya leaves, he's quick to ask Ren, "So what's the deal with you and… Masa, is it?"

"Masato," Ren says then shrugs. "To make the long story short, we dated back in idol school. But then his grandfather died and he was basically Hijirikawa's – uh, Masato's – backbone to stand up against his father's wishes. With his grandfather out of the picture, his father then forced him to drop idol school so he can take over their family's conglomerate but doing so would mean giving up his freedom. So in his desperate attempt to escape his father, he decides to cut all ties and disappear, so to speak."

"Including with you?"

Ren nods. "Including with me. But. We're fine now. His father passed away two years ago, left him some money so he used it to establish his ad agency. His cousin took his place as the conglomerate head and Hijiri—Masato can't be any happier." 

Someone yells, "Ichinose-san! They're filming your next scene in five minutes."

"Alright. I'll be there," he hollers back then taps Ren on the arm. "Later, man."

 

*

 

It's one of those rare breaks he gets while in the middle of a production so he decides to spend it at home. Bone tired and almost stretched to his limit, he arrives at what he can only describe as a war zone. 

The house is a complete mess, like a hurricane has swept past it. There are clothes on the floor and on the stair's banister and a heap on the couch. What looks like an orange juice spill has dried up on the living room carpet and the kitchen looks the worst. A collection of dirty plates and bowls and mugs and glasses are piled up on the sink and the counter is littered with food scraps. 

Tokiya hears the faint sound of a guitar so he uses it as a beacon to find Otoya who is out in the balcony, strumming on the strings and writing on a notebook. When he slides the glass door open, Otoya nearly jumps out of his seat. 

"Tokiya!" he says, eyes wide as if he's seen a ghost. "I uh… I didn't know you were coming home."

Miffed, he says, "I suppose that's the reason why the house looks like a family of ogre lives in it," through gritted teeth.

"I uh…" Otoya starts rubbing the back of his head with his hand, says, "Sorry. I was given a deadline to finish at least five jingle compositions," and makes no move to perhaps start cleaning and it's enough to drive Tokiya up the wall.

When Otoya opens his mouth again, Tokiya holds out his palm. "Stop. I don't wanna hear another word from you." Then he pivots around and stomps up to his bedroom, only to find most of his things rearranged. His closet door is left partially open so he looks inside, curious, and sees that his clothes have been reorganized by color and not by purpose. He feels as if his head is about to explode.

"Otoya!" The redhead comes bounding up the stairs and into his room. "What, pray tell, did you do to my room?"

"Oh." Otoya looks irritatingly guiltless that it takes all of his patience and self-control to not strangle him right there and then. "I was watching this show that taught feng shui, and I thought maybe it will help you get positive energy if your bedroom is arranged in relation to—"

"I don't give a flying fuck!" Tokiya spits out, all his exhaustion and anger and frustration and just about anything negative surfacing. "I want you to start clearing up the mess downstairs, and I mean now, not later, and I don't give a shit about your deadline, just clean up and stay the hell out of my room from now on. Do you understand?"

The expression that stays on Otoya's face when he says," I understand," is something that makes him look like Tokiya has driven a samurai sword through his gut. 

Once Otoya steps out and closes the door behind him, Tokiya reaches out and grabs the first thing his fingers can coil around and hurls it across the room. He then watches the purple-blue vase that Otoya has given him the first week into marriage with a piece of sunflower roll on the floor in pieces. The flower has long dried up and pressed between the pages of Tokiya's favorite book. The vase now lies on his floor all broken.

He leaves the house to cool down, drives to the next town and books a room at a hotel where he stays for two days.

They don't talk about the incident and Tokiya goes back to location filming.

When he returns home about a week later, he finds the house squeaky clean and spotless and Otoya seems to be busy puttering around the kitchen. A familiar, mouthwatering aroma wafts all the way to the main entrance. 

"Oh hey, I hope you're hungry," Otoya says when Tokiya steps into the kitchen. "I made your favorite. Sansai soba."

And just as he goes _Oh wow, haven't had that in a while, smells delish,_ in his head, his thought process screeches to a halt when he realizes that not once, at least as far as he can remember, did he tell Otoya that this is on top of his most loved dish because it's someone's specialty. "How did you know it's my favorite?" 

Otoya takes off his mittens and hangs them on the hook by the counter then he starts rambling, "Your mom kinda told me? I uh… I ran into her at the supermarket the other day. She kind of came up to me and introduced herself because… well, I didn't know her but sort of saw a picture of her when I cleaned up your room before, so I know how she looks like and well, she invited me to her house and she um… she taught me how to prepare this and she—"

"You. Did. What?" Tokiya's ears are ringing. He can't believe what he's just heard. He hasn't seen nor spoken to his mom for like... ever. Well, ever since she came crawling back to the arms of the man who claims to be his father. Something Tokiya will never acknowledge because all he sees him as is an irresponsible man who has walked out of his mother when Tokiya is too young to even remember. 

"I uh…" Otoya's fingers are playing with the fabric of his apron while he continues to babble on, saying, "She seems nice? And sweet. And… and she really misses you. So I thought maybe we can like—invite her over for dinner one of these days? And your father—"

"Don't you DARE talk about my father!" Tokiya roars, feeling his blood boiling and cold fury surging through his veins. "And who the hell do you think you are to act all chummy with my mother? You seem to be forgetting that to me, YOU are nobody."

It starts with a shocked expression, and then it morphs into a look of hurt, like Otoya is visibly breaking inside. "I have had it," he says in almost a whisper that Tokiya isn't sure if he's heard it right. "I. Am so done. I don't give a shit if I lose the house. I am through with you," he says then takes the apron off, throws it on the counter and storms out of the kitchen.

Tokiya feels awfully, awfully bad.

Some minutes later, he hears Otoya trudging down the stairs and when he doesn't show up at the kitchen entryway, Tokiya saunters out into the hallway to see him almost out the front door with his luggage in tow.

"Where are you going?" flies out of his mouth before he can realize how stupid he must sound.

"I'm leaving. I'm sick and tired of this… this arrangement. I… I want a divorce," is what Otoya says before he disappears behind the closed door.

Tokiya screams in his head. Then he actually screams, "Damn it!" his voice echoing around the house which now seems hauntingly empty.

 

*

  


  


** Omake: **

There seems to be a buzz of excitement in the office when he arrives but as soon as he walks through the door, the entire space suddenly falls into an unnerving silence. He doesn't miss the part where all eyes are on him, which isn't really unusual, but there's something different with the way his people are watching him.

"Good morning, Hijirikawa-san," Tomochika greets him in her usual perky way, but his secretary seems extra bubbly today.

"Did something happen?" he asks, his instincts going haywire.

"Hmm?" Her finger starts playing with a lock of her – a habit she shows when nervous or trying to restrain herself – something Masato has learned over the past two years she's been working for him. "Nothing. Why? Are you expecting something to happen?"

He has no time for this. There are about three presentations he has to prepare. "No. I'll be in my office."

When he enters his private space with a flourish though, he feels his whole world tilt when he sees the man who he hasn't seen in years – seven years to be precise – sitting on his chair like a king.

"Jinguji," falls through his lips like some secret spell in fear that if he doesn't acknowledge the ginger blonde's presence, he will disappear into thin air. 

"Nice office you have here, Hijirikawa," Jinguji Ren says, leaning back comfortably on his leather-covered chair, his eyes visibly raking over Masato's body. "You don't look too bad yourself."

What lessens his shock in seeing Ren is that he has known that the probability of their paths crossing is quite high considering that his freelancer, Otoya, is married to the actor Tokiya who is known to be friends with Ren. So destiny has found a way to wind their strings together once more.

"Get off my chair, Jinguji. I'm a busy man and I have a lot of work to do," 

Ren does as he asks, moseys over to the door, says, "I see you haven't changed. You're as cold as ever," then just as Masato is going through a momentary internal panic that Ren might leave, Ren closes the door and locks it. He stops Masato from opening the blinds to the window connecting him to the work area of his employees.

"What are you doing, Jinguji?" His heart seems to be engaged in a violent attempt to break out of his chest.

Ren's too close, breath warm against his face, hand still curled around his wrist. "I looked for you for years, even had my brother hire a private investigator but—"

"I traveled around under different aliases before settling down here," he says, recalling his vagabond trek all over Japan.

Ren lifts his free hand to stroke Masato's cheek with the back of his fingers, says, "I missed you, you know. Masa, I—" then his lips are on his, and Masato can't find the strength to push him away so instead, he melts into Ren, just like he did all those years ago.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was supposed to insert the part about Masato and Ren within the story, but then I thought that it will break the purpose of keeping this Tokiya/Otoya-centric, so I just threw it in as an omake.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Sorry for the delay. You guessed it, I've been busy, been ghostwriting for someone and it's a genre that is completely new to me, so it's been quite a challenge.  
> \- This is probably the longest chapter - 7,300+ words - unless the next one stretches to a mile, so to speak.  
> \- Not beta'd, proofread or edited, as usual, because that will beat the purpose of this being freeform :)

  


Never has he reached a point in his life when he wants to scream really, really loud. His chest is close to imploding like… like a hundred knives have sliced through his heart and have set it on fire and now his whole body feels like caving in. He's just… he's so frustratingly angry and—and he's … he's hurting inside and he doesn't even know why.

"I'm sure Tokiya-kun will come around, Otoya-kun," Natsuki says as he sinks beside him on the couch. 

Since he has no other place to go, his feet have somehow led him to Syo and Natsuki's apartment. Syo is working overtime so he's not home yet and Natsuki seems to have taken it upon himself to… to mother hen him or something.

Natsuki has baked him cookies and has made him a cup of tea and… and though consciously, Otoya knows eating those cookies will be um… well, dangerous because Natsuki's culinary skill isn't exactly his prowess, that's not the reason why Otoya chooses not to gobble down the sweets. It's… it's because he's just so not in the mood to do anything than wallow in his misery.

The door bursts open to reveal Syo who looks like he's just about ready to kill someone -- _oh my_ – and his nose kind of like flares when he says, "Alright. What the fuck. Did Tokiya do to you?" as if… as if Tokiya has committed the most heinous crime against Otoya.

"You make it sound so serious, Syo-chan," Natsuki tells him in a pacifying tone. "I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding, something that's probably common between married people."

Syo gives Natsuki _The Look_ with his eyebrows drawn together then he folds his arms over his chest and…. and he sounds really incredulous when he says, "Just… whose side are you on?" 

"I'm not taking sides," Natsuki says at the same time Otoya raises his hands and blurts out, "Wait. Wait," because he doesn't want his two best friends to start fighting over… well over this – whatever it is he and Tokiya are going through. 

And just as all three of them open their mouths simultaneously, Otoya's phone rings and he jumps startled and stares at the device lying on the table in front of him, letting it ring a few times more, before he's propelled to reach for it. 

When he sees Tokiya's name on the screen, his heart plummets down to settle between his intestines and he drops the phone on the table as if he's burned. "I don't want to talk him. I just…" He brings his feet up on the couch and buries his face between his knees. "I just want this to be over." His eyes sting and he blinks it away only to realize that… that there are tears pooling on the surface.

His phone rings again but Otoya decides to just ignore it. What nerve does Tokiya have to call him after saying those… those things! Or maybe he's just calling because Otoya has forgotten something at home. Whatever. He doesn't care. He's not going back there.

When he lifts his head, he realizes the ringing has stopped. Syo's sitting across him now and watching him like um… like he's about to be burned at the stake or something. 

"Do you guys mind if I stay here for a while?" he asks, not wanting to intrude or impose but he really has nowhere to go and doesn't have any money to find a new place. "I won't be a bother, promise. And once I get the money from the project I'm working on for Masa, I'll probably be able to rent a small apartment."

"Nonsense!' Syo barks out. "You stay here for as long as you want. Natsuki and I won't mind."

"Syo-chan's right, Otoya-kun," Natsuki says, nodding. "Besides, we missed having you around. You haven't spent much time with us since you got married."

Guilt worms its way into his conscience. Tokiya's been quite adamant in keeping him home or within his eyesight to make sure he doesn't do anything um… stupid or something that may risk having other people know that their marriage is only an arrangement of some sort.

"Thanks guys." 

Otoya's phone goes off one more time and Syo is the one who peers into the screen. "I think you should get this," Syo says, baby blue eyes softening. 

Curious, Otoya checks the caller ID and immediately dives for his phone and brings it to his ear. "Cecil!" It's been so long since he last heard from his half brother – about four months too long, probably. 

"What's this I heard about you getting married and I wasn't invited?" There's a teasing lilt with the way Cecil speaks but Otoya doesn't miss the hint of hurt in those words.

"Sorry Cecil. Things just… well, it happened quite fast and…" How in the world is he supposed to explain it to Cecil in the simplest way possible without revealing the truth?

_Wait._

Since he plans to file a divorce – which means he won't be getting his house back as a consequence – he doesn't need to follow the contract anymore, right?

"I know. Not that I can blame you. It is THE Ichinose Tokiya we're talking about." Cecil's voice broke through his rumination. Otoya's about to tell Cecil _'No, that's not it,'_ that – that he was cajoled into this marriage because he wants to get his house back – for free – but then Cecil's all, "Anyway, that's not the reason why I called. Natsuki and Syo's birthday is in a week and I'm calling to let you know I'll be there the day before. We already missed out on celebrating your birthday since you were too busy being married and all so we're not skipping this one, are we?"

"Of course not." _Shoot._ With all the crazy things going on in his life, Otoya has almost forgotten about his friends' birthday. And—and here he is crashing at their place. 

"Perfect!" Cecil exclaims, the excitement in his voice is contagious that Otoya feels somehow lighter. "So remind Syo, Natsuki and Tomochika that we're going to Fuji-Q Highland like usual, okay? Oh and, if Tokiya wants to come along, he can, but I'm not sure how he'll feel about it because—well, it's an amusement park and a public place and he's famous?"

The bubbly feeling that's starting to build up in his chest somehow evanesces upon hearing Tokiya's name and he's suddenly not in the mood to do this… this thing but… but then it's Natsuki's and Syo's birthday – how can he be so selfish when—and… and he can't just invite Tokiya now, can he? It's just… but how can he tell Cecil? "I don't know, Cecil I…" There's just no way he can break his happy spirit. "Sure, I'll tell everyone. And I'll ask Tokiya if he wants to come." So help him.

 

*

 

It's been two days since he's left his home and he still hasn't made any progress whatsoever on his plan. Otoya has gone to the ward office to fill out a divorce form. But then he's asked if it's a mutual decision, and… and if it is then he and his partner should have both their hanko seals on the paper. But.

For that to happen, he needs to talk to Tokiya and… and he's so not ready to face the man just yet. 

His phone rings, the generic tune spiraling across the apartment. He's close to considering assigning different ring tones for his frequent contacts like Syo has suggested so he'll know if it's Tokiya calling. He can't just turn it off because Masato or anyone important might call and—

Tomochika's name flashes on the screen. Otoya's so not sure if he wants to talk to her right now. She's been nagging him to give Tokiya a second chance, been telling him that Tokiya's probably been too stressed from work and all that's why he's easy to lose his temper. And he feels rather betrayed because… well, isn't she supposed to be HIS friend and—and shouldn't she be on his side? 

Oh well.

"Moshi, moshi," he says as soon as he presses the phone against his ear. 

"What took you so long?" Tomochika barks with clear impatience and Otoya can't really blame her. "The boss wants to see you in a couple of hours. That is if you're not too busy being all heartbroken."

"Did he say why?" Otoya will normally jump at the chance to meet with Masato because that always, always means work and that's something he needs right now to get his mind off of… um, things.

"Something about the jingle you made that the client is really happy about so there may be more projects for you in the future." Tomochika sounds like she's trying to make it sound less interesting, which—which Otoya recognizes as reverse psychology or something. "Of course, if you're not in the mood and not feeling inspired we can always find someone el—"

"I'll be there!" Otoya ends the call, not wanting Tomochika to tease him any further. He digs into his bag for a change of clothes then hops into the shower, startling Natsuki who is just coming through the door. The water pouring down on him feels heavenly and he imagines it washing away all the negative feelings that have been locked up inside him.

Once he's done, he changes into a pair of dark jeans and a purple and gray button down shirt, more decent than and a far cry from the sweat pants and torn shirts he's been wearing. 

"I have a meeting with Masa," he tells Natsuki on his way out, guitar bag slung over his shoulder. "Will probably be back late afternoon or early evening. I'll call you guys."

Just as he's stepping out, he hears Natsuki say, "Well, good luck and have fun." 

 

*

 

There's just so many things Masato is saying all at once and Otoya's starting to get dizzy trying to absorb it all but… but the bottom line is that the company that he's done ad tunes for wants to do more business with Masato and that the client has requested for him to do the jingles for their commercials and it's—it's just amazing that he can't believe what he's hearing.

"Are… are you sure they want me for these projects?" The words written on the contract looks jargon to him and—and he has sort of developed a phobia on contracts so he's a little wary. Not that he doesn't trust Masato but.

"They specifically asked for you. And I have full confidence in your talent," Masato says like he really means it, like he does believe in him and he doesn't speak in a patronizing way or something.

"Thanks, Masa. I… I really need this." This is just perfect timing. He can make a new start. Though it pains him to leave the house built from his mother's dreams and is filled with so much memories of his childhood, he's left with no other choice. 

"Why don't we go out and celebrate? My treat, of course." Masato presses a button on the phone lying on his desk. "Shibuya. Make a reservation for two at Chiyasu."

Then he hears Tomochika's chirpy voice through the speaker say, "Got it, Hijirikawa-san." 

Masato turns all business-like when he asks, "Do you have any questions about the contract?" which triggers his uneasiness on contracts in general and Masato must've seen him flinch because he tones down when he adds, "I'm sorry. Is it too much to absorb in an hour?"

"No, it's… I just find it a little overwhelming?" That's actually an understatement. Truth is, this blows his mind off to the next galaxy. He's never had this much project in the two years he's worked for Masato and… and nine commercials in two months which sums up to nine ad jingles where he gets paid more than he's usually offered is just… "I uh… I mean, I'm all for the challenge. It's just… it's so surreal." 

"You better get used to it because this is where it all starts," Masato says and he leans on his table, arms crossed over the surface, steel blue eyes boring into his carmine ones. "Next thing you know, you're earning the highest recommendation that could get you more projects that will not necessarily be limited to commercial jingles."

The large black phone on Masato's table buzzes and Otoya watches as Masato presses a button and listens to Tomochika announce, "Hijirikawa-san, your reservations have been confirmed."

"Thank you, Shibuya," is all Masato says then he's on his feet, prompting Otoya to follow him out of his office. 

They take a taxi to the restaurant and Otoya's wondering why Masato didn't just take his car instead when they reach the place and— _oh_ —turns out to be an izakaya or a pub. 

"Thought we can use a cozy ambiance while having drinks," Masato says when he pulls the door open and Otoya trails after him. "You don't mind, do you?"

Of course not, why would he? "No, no. This is cool, actually." 

The place is rather spacious and… and the front room is brightly lit. Right at the center is where the bar is nestled. A woman greets them with a wide smile and a courteous bow, says, "Welcome, Hijirikawa-san. It's a pleasure to have you here again," then leads them all the way to the back where there are dimly lit sectioned areas that provide a bit more privacy. 

Once seated on the table, Masato asks him what he wants but Otoya just waves his hand, says, "Whatever you're having, Masa," so Masato fires away while the lady writes on her little notepad.

There's an incessant ringing sound in his ears and his heart is pounding, kind of like what happens to a main character in a thriller movie when… when something is about to happen and… how he wish Masato has ordered a bottle of sake so he can just drown this—whatever—that has suddenly jumped at him. 

"You okay?" Masato asks, worry lines appearing on his forehead.

There's a sudden itch right behind his right ear that Otoya scratches as he says, "Yeah. Just… thinking about the project," which isn't really a lie but… but that's not really what's bothering him. Fact is, he doesn't even know why he just suddenly feels so ill at ease.

The waitress comes with a bottle of beer and a glass of clear beverage with a slice of lemon floating on the surface. 

"I didn't know what you like. Your mind seemed elsewhere earlier when I asked what you wanted to drink so I just got you a beer. I prefer to start off with sours," Masato says then lifts the glass of… of—whatever—up to his lips and takes a sip.

"Beer's fine." Otoya lifts the bottle in the air, says, "Cheers," and then takes a gulp, hoping that it's something stronger.

Their food is served soon enough and their table is filled with plates of grilled meat and breaded chicken and a basket of assorted tempura.

Otoya pops a small piece of chicken in his mouth, takes another swig of his beer and almost chokes when he hears the familiar smooth, suave voice, saying, "Ahh. Fancy meeting you here, Hijirikawa." He whips his head around only to see Jinguji Ren standing a little off to his left and—and behind him is—

"Tokiya." The name slips past his lips in an _oh-fuck-you-can't-be-here-I'm-not-ready-to-see-you-yet_ whisper.

"Hello Otoya," Tokiya says and—and his voice sends some sort of electric surge to course throughout Otoya's body.

"Jinguji." Masato's voice breaks through the wild party that's going on in Otoya's head. "What are you doing here? You're not stalking me, are you?"

"Stalking you? That's a little harsh, Masayan," Ren says then slides into their booth right beside Masato. "I hope you don't mind that we join you."

Tokiya seems to hesitate but soon settles beside Otoya and— _oh fuck_ —there's a damn wall on his right and how he wish he's intangible so he can just pass through it and—and disappear.

"I don't believe you are here by chance, Jinguji," Masato says, the skin between his eyebrows creased as he pins Ren with a death glare. 

Ren doesn't seem fazed at all. He stretches his arm over the backrest of the two-seater just behind Masato's head and says, "Alright, alright. I was supposed to go to Ichi's because he says he needed someone to talk to," his bright cerulean eyes sliding over to Otoya for a heartbeat. "But Ichi still refuses to tell me his address so he told me to meet him at the coffee shop close to your building and while waiting for him, I dropped by your office hoping to see you but your lovely secretary told me that you're here."

 _Oh. Great. Tomochika!,_ Otoya screams in his head then makes a mental note to strangle his friend later.

"Are you seriously drinking sours, Hijirikawa?" Ren says with a teasing lilt then climbs out of his seat and grabs Masato by the wrist. "C'mon. Let's grab something better at the bar. First two rounds are on me."

Masato doesn't budge. "We can just call the waitress, you know."

Ren shrugs, says, "Where's the fun in that?" then… then hauls Masato out of the booth, leaving him alone with—with—with Tokiya! Maybe he should add Ren to the list of people he wants to strangle.

Otoya tries to keep his hands and mouth busy by taking one gulp of his beer after another. Wordless minutes seem to stretch for-like-ever until Tokiya breaks the proverbial ice and says, "I… I've been trying to call you."

"I know." Like, hello? Obvious much.

"Look, Otoya. I know apologizing wouldn't be enough but I'm really sorry," Tokiya says, shifting a little to face him. "Can we… Can we just start over?"

Part of him is screaming, _No!_ that—that he shouldn't get himself into this mess again but… but part of him just melts under Tokiya's pleading gaze and—

"If… if we're going to start over, there are things that need to change." What is he saying? Just where is his pride? Where is his dignity? And this isn't supposed to be real, is it?

"Okay. Just tell me what has to change." Tokiya eyes turn soft and… and there's tenderness with the way he looks at him and Otoya just feels so utterly defeated.

"I'll think about it."

Ren and Masato choose this perfect time to return, each holding two bottles of beer. "Apologies if we were gone too long," Ren says, handing a bottle over to Tokiya and Masato sets one in front of Otoya. "Hijirikawa and I were debating whether to go for beer or sake."

Otoya snorts, says, "Looks like Masa won," but deep inside, he wishes how Ren would've won. He can really use some sake just about now. He finishes his first bottle of beer then starts with the second while Ren launches with a story about his and Masato's childhood adventures.

He's already feeling a buzz in his head by the time the second servings of food have gone empty and they've downed their last bottle of alcohol glory. He notices though – barely, vaguely – that Tokiya hasn't been drinking much, probably just had a couple of bottles?

But Otoya has had—well, he's not sure how many he's had, really, like maybe a lot because he feels really, really good, like he's floating and… and he feels um… bubbly? So he laughs but it comes out like giggling and Tokiya smells so, so good that Otoya just wants to keep his head on Tokiya's shoulder.

Then he hears Ren say, "I think you should take him home Ichi," then he throws an arm over Masato's shoulder. "Masayan, I’m too wasted to go back to Kanagawa. Can I crash at your place?"

And… and Masato huffs and is all. "Like I have any other choice."

So Otoya giggles because it's maybe funny, and when he feels an arm around his waist and warm breath against his neck, he feels suddenly ticklish so he laughs and laughs and—

Then… then Tokiya's talking to him, saying, "Come now. Let's go home." 

Then they're out of the pub and… and there's a taxi slowing down until it stops right in front of them, so he climbs inside and feels someone sliding after him. Then Tokiya's whispering something like, "Hey. Don't fall asleep on me. Or else I'll have to carry you later," and… and that's just about the last thing he hears.

 

*

 

The muscle where his right shoulder meets his neck protests when he tries to move. He forces one eyelid open and is relieved that it's dim enough for his vision to adjust easily without too much of a struggle. But his brain does though – struggle, that is. 

Once both eyes are fully open, he tries to process where he is. The soft blanket covering him feels oddly different that he's certain it isn't his. The walls look rather familiar though. 

There's a faint light near the door and when he spots the large, almost life-sized framed photo beneath the wall lamp, he springs up, immediately noticing that he's practically naked, wearing only his underwear. His gaze snaps back to the picture on the wall and his brain suddenly screeches to a halt.

 _Holy shit!_ He's in Tokiya's room!

His head spins and spins then he hears a door opening, not the bedroom door though so he turns to where he knows the bathroom is and… and there he is – Tokiya in all his—no, not naked glory, thank goodness—but he's wearing a robe and Kami knows if… if he's bare underneath.

_Someone kill me now._

"Oh. You're awake." The god-like beauty ambles over to the bed, says, "I had to take off your clothes because you threw up on them. I already washed them, don't worry. And I uh…" He rubs the back of his head, so unlike Tokiya. "I had to bring you here to my room, thought it would be easier to check on you instead of having to walk over to you room. If… if you want to take a bath, you can use my bathroom. I'll be downstairs preparing breakfast."

Tokiya enters the walk in closet – which is still in clear view from where Otoya is – then slips his robe off and… and he IS naked underneath! Otoya tries not to look but his eyes are betraying him and — _oh dear heavens!_ — he looks so sexy and — _No! Must. Not. Look!_

"I'm going to make you some tea," Tokiya then says after a while and when Otoya peeks through the corner of his eye, he sees Tokiya all dressed. "Is there something in particular that you like to have?"

A gigantic serving of his sanity and a huge plate of self-control will be nice. "No. Anything's fine."

As soon as Tokiya leaves the bedroom, Otoya jumps out of the queen-sized bed and listens to the fading footsteps through the door before stepping out. He rushes to the bathroom at the opposite side of the hallway because… because jerking off in Tokiya's bathroom sounds terribly, horribly wrong.

While slipping into a set of clean clothes after a long shower, realization slaps him right across the face. What is he doing back at his house in the first place? Then he remembers last night and — _oh_ — he must've gotten super drunk that Tokiya had to take him home.

The table is all set when he reaches the kitchen and Tokiya even pulls a chair for him to sit on. Just what in the world is going on? Did he, by chance, wake up in an alternate reality or something? He's considering pinching himself but Tokiya says, "You're tea is going to get cold. It should help you with your hangover."

The tea in question looks like melted chocolate ice cream mixed with matcha powder. "W-what is it exactly?"

Tokiya's face is somehow unreadable as he explains, "I got the recipe from the café Ren took me once when I had a hangover. They gave me the same concoction and it worked."

That. Is. It. This isn't an alternate dimension. This is the real world and he's pretty sure of it because… because Tokiya is trying to kill him!

"You don't have to drink it. I can make you a cup of jasmine tea if you don't—"

"No, no. It's… it's fine." Otoya lifts the cup up to his lips, trying not to inhale so he won't have to smell the — well, whatever it is. Looking at the brighter side though, if this does kill him, then… then he'll see his mother and his aunt again. He counts in his head, _one, two,_ then takes a sip of the mud tea poison whatever. Surprisingly, it doesn't taste all bad. In fact, it is rather bland, no taste at all. But it does have a kick, like something hot and cold at the same time flows through his bloodstream. 

"Now's probably not the right time to bring this up but…" Tokiya sets his chopsticks down. "Last night, you said there are things that need to change. What exactly do you have in mind?"

Otoya is so tempted to say, _That wasn't me, that was my evil twin,_ but is aware how ridiculous that sounds so he swallows the lump that seems to have taken up residence in his throat and says, "We uh… we should revise the contract. You need to um… I think you should do your share of the chores around the house when you're not busy filming."

Tokiya's brows furrow for a split second then he says, "Okay. What else?"

"Okay as in, you agree with it?" That's not something he expects, really, thinks Tokiya will refuse or—or even argue about it, not be all compliant and just.

"Would you prefer I don't?" The neutral, impassive mask is back on Tokiya's face that reading him becomes more difficult, not that Otoya can ever read the actor's expression – that will be like solving a really difficult calculus problem or something. 

"No it's—it's… I'm glad that you do?" Otoya realizes he's been playing with the food on his plate so he sets his chopsticks down as well, clears his throat and adds, "Also, I uh—I think we should take turns preparing our meals."

Tokiya nods, says, "Sounds fair," then brings his tea cup over his perfectly shaped lips and takes a sip. 

Otoya curls his fingers around his chopsticks and stares at the fish on his plate then Cecil (and his irrational fear of fishes) suddenly pops in his head, "That reminds me," he says, looking up and catches Tokiya's eyes on him, and… and he finds himself being drawn into that pool of turquoise blue that he momentarily forgets what he's about to say.

So Tokiya prompts him to continue. "What is it?"

"Uh…" Otoya blinks while struggling to collect his scattered thoughts. "My uh… my half-brother, Cecil, is coming over in three days. It's my friends' birthday is on the ninth… um—Natsuki's and Syo's? You've met them on our wedding, remember? We uh… we go to Fuji-Q Highland every year on their birthdays so it's—it's sort of tradition. And… and Cecil usually stays here with me. So um… will that be okay?"

"Your half brother?" is the first thing Tokiya says. "You never told me you had one."

 _Well, you never asked,_ is what Otoya wants to say but instead, he launches into his usual rambling of, "We uh… we rarely see each other, sometimes just once or twice a year. He lives in Agnapolis with his father. My uh—my mom often traveled to that country when I was a baby so she uh, she met Cecil's dad. I don't know the whole story but… but my aunt said my mom never went back to that country after finding out she was pregnant with Cecil. So he was born here and… and we were raised together. When my mom passed away—I was about nine then—Cecil's dad came to claim custody of him, so he um… he took him to Agnapolis while I stayed here and was raised by my aunt."

Tokiya's eyes are still on him, staring, watching, and Otoya feels his whole body tremble under that warm gaze. Then Tokiya clears his throat, says, "So he's staying here? Does he know you're married?"

"Yeah." Otoya crosses his fingers under the table because what he's about to ask is—may be crossing the line a little. "And about that, he uh… he doesn't know about the arrangement, of course, so while he's here we uh…"

"We need to sleep in the same room," Tokiya supplies. "I understand. I don't see any problem with that. Do you?

Otoya shakes his head. This is turning out to be easier than he thought. Tokiya is strangely cognizant. Maybe… _Oh, what the heck?_ Otoya thinks… he might as well throw it on the table. "He actually suggested I invite you to come with us. To Fuji-Q. But I'm not sure how you feel about amusement parks? I mean… there's a lot of people there and—"

"I'd love that," flies from Tokiya's mouth that Otoya's not sure if he's heard it right.

"You… you'd like to come along?" 

Tokiya's shoulders rise and fall. "Sure. We're on filming break, and I think I'm free on the ninth. I don't have anything on my schedule. Unless you don't want me to go."

"No! I mean, yes, I want you to come along. I… it will be fun." Otoya is back to wondering whether he really is in some sort of alternate reality. 

Tokiya slips a piece of fish into his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallows. "I uh… I actually know about Fuji-Q. I spoke to Shinomiya-san and he invited me." 

Otoya spurts the water he's drinking back into his glass then he snaps his head up. "What? How?"

"He kept calling your phone last night. I'm sorry if I intruded, but I had to find out what he wanted since it was past midnight." Tokiya says. "He was worried you haven't gone back to their place yet. So I just explained to him what happened."

 _Oh._ "Oh." In his excitement and bafflement over the project with Masato, he has forgotten to call Natsuki and Syo. "I've been uh… I've been staying with them for the past two days. I should—I should go back there and get my things."

"I'll go with you." The resoluteness in Tokiya's tone seems to leave no room for argument so Otoya doesn't dare question him anymore.

Instead, he says, "Who are you and what have you done with Tokiya?" to which Tokiya laughs and Otoya can't help but suspect that Tokiya either had too much to drink last night or—or he's being possessed by his aunt or his mother.

 

*

 

For the next three days, Tokiya does things that Otoya finds perplexing. He doesn’t expect Tokiya to go through great lengths to make their marriage seem real or something. 

The day before Cecil's arrival, Tokiya comes home with a huge framed picture of their wedding and hangs it up on the living room wall. Then he brings out several pictures of the same occasion – pictures that Otoya doesn't even know exist – slides the best ones they pick together into expensive-looking frames and places them in the glass display cabinet.

They move all of his things to Tokiya's room – which used to be his – the next morning. Tokiya's kind enough to make space in the closet for his clothes.

And once Otoya has everything in place, he says, "I guess that leaves the futon last. I'll have to get it out of the cabinet in the guestroom."

"Why would you need a futon?" Tokiya asks, confusion written on his face – which confuses Otoya as well.

"I uh—need something to sleep on? The floor isn't exactly comfortable," sounds just about logical.

But then Tokiya rolls his eyes and flicks him on the nose with his fingers, says, "Idiot. The bed is large enough for us. I'm not letting you sleep on the floor," and that's exactly how he ends up lying beside Tokiya later that night while listening to Cecil move around the hallway.

"He always has trouble sleeping after a long flight," Otoya explains when Tokiya sits up on the bed for—probably the fifth time since they settled in, fists gripping the edge of the blanket as if… as if he's trying to rein in his temper or something.

"I hope you realize that he's listening in on us," Tokiya whispers then he leans over Otoya and asks, "Your half-brother doesn't happen to have any kinks, does he?"

"Huh?"

"I have an idea. Just play along," Tokiya says, looking all serious. He presses a finger against Otoya's lips then starts moaning and saying, "Ooh, Otoya, you smell so good, taste so good," in a—in a very loud and provocative and—and lewd way that causes his brain to short-circuit. "Otoya… Oh Otoya, you're so tight. I'm… I'm going to put in. Are you ready?"

And—and… _fuck!_ Otoya feels all his blood rushing down south. He's so not getting hard now, is he? 

Tokiya practically breathes into his ear when he says, "Your turn," and… and…

 _What?_

"Uh…" Then Otoya remembers Tokiya telling him to play along, so yeah. He closes his eyes, shifts his hips a little to hide his erection which he's pretty sure will be noticeable despite the semi-darkness and says, "Yeah. Yeah, put it in." And there goes his dignity. "Oh Tokiya," he screams for good measure and… and he feels Tokiya still beside him. 

Otoya hears the telltale sound of scampering outside the bedroom and footsteps fading and a door closing. At least Tokiya's plan worked.

When he opens his eyes, his heart almost stops beating when he sees Tokiya staring at him with his mouth partly open. Then… then Tokiya says, "Excuses me," and disappears into the bathroom.

 

*

 

They take the train to Fujiyoshida in the morning, with Tokiya wearing a fedora and a pair of sunglasses as disguise. Otoya's a bit worried because the hat can ruin his perfect hair, but Tokiya doesn't seem to mind. 

Cecil's enthusiasm somehow makes them forget that they have a celebrity with them and he blurts out, "I wonder if they've added an attraction since the last time we were there," like nothing is unusual. 

When they get to Fuji-Q, Syo volunteers to go buy the tickets but then Cecil says, "Aren't we going to wait for Tomochika?" 

Otoya's about to ask where she is when he hears her voice from behind, saying, "I'm already here," and when he pivots around, he realizes she's not alone. Masato and – to his surprise – Ren (who is also wearing a fedora and a pair of eyeglasses) are with her. "I hope you don't mind that I dragged them along. I brought some documents to Hijrikawa-san's house and Jinguji-san happens to be there."

"Well, the more the merrier," Syo says, tipping his hat. 

Their first hour in the park is relatively… well, normal and uneventful. Tokiya buys him a crepe which they eventually share and Tomochika's all, "Oh, you two look so cute together," and takes their picture like there's no tomorrow.

There's a brief debate on which attraction they should try first, but of course, the birthday celebrants have to have their way.

Otoya thinks he's safe because Natsuki likes cute things and always, always chooses attractions for kids and adults alike while Syo is… well, there's his fear of heights and things that are all too scary, which Otoya prefers to avoid as well. 

But Cecil just has to open his mouth and say, "Then we'll never get to try the super scary labyrinth of fear. Syo's too afraid to get inside. We keep skipping that every year."

And Syo goes, "Are you implying that I'm a coward? I'm not afraid of that super scary labyrinth of—of—whatever. I just don't want to get inside because I hear it's too long and it will take us hours to get out of there."

"So you're not afraid?" Cecil says in a somewhat provoking way, which seems to flip Syo's switch. 

So Syo explodes with, "I am not! Let's go inside," and actually leads the way. 

They're on their third turn when the creepy sounds that are usually part of scary attractions float around them and… and Otoya feels his blood turning cold. He gropes around blindly then grabs the first arm his hand comes in contact with. The arm shifts until his hand slips into another. 

Otoya dreads that this hand he's holding belongs to one of the attraction's staff dressed in a really, really scary costume so he turns his head slowly, already expecting the worst. But—but when he realizes that it's Tokiya – who has taken off his sunglasses – it feels as though his heart and his intestines start having a circus show inside him. 

Tokiya closes the distance between them until their arms are practically fused together then whispers, "Stay close," and Otoya thinks that—that the probability of him dying from the proximity is far greater than dying out of fear.

Tomochika's (and some manly) scream bounces off the walls. Otoya braves to look around and he notices they're practically walking in pairs. Syo is hugging Natsuki's arm, Tomochika is clutching Cecil's shirt, Ren has his arm over Masato's shoulders although the latter looks unaffected by this place, while he's stuck (literally) with Tokiya. 

"Did anyone bother to look at the map of this place?" Masato asks, ever the logical thinker. 

"W-was there one?" Syo asks just as Otoya's thinking why he didn't notice it.

"Yes, Syo-chan, there is. Like that one," Natsuki says and Otoya follows the direction to where his finger is pointing. True enough, there's a framed map hanging on the wall that they would've missed because it's dark and the creepy noises are kind of distracting.

Tokiya stares at it with a frown, says, "This shouldn't be too hard. I'll lead the way until the next point," then drags him down the hallway and Otoya thinks, _Yeah, be all impressive until my heart can't take it anymore._

Or he probably doesn't need to worry about his heart because he drops it somewhere along this crazy creepy labyrinth when—when ghosts start jumping out of nowhere or—or creeping towards them or—or just being plain scary. 

It feels like it has taken them hours until they're able to get out of that—that labyrinth thing when in reality it's like only minutes? Probably close to an hour. And Syo is like, "I don't care what you say, Cecil. We are not going back in there. Ever."

"I'm with Syo," Otoya says and tries to pull his hand out of Tokiya's but… but he only tightens his grip.

"Can we go to the teacups now?" Natsuki asks and everyone just kind of agrees. Otoya presumes they all need a change of pace after that experience.

They have lunch at Pizza-La and spend a downtime looking around at the souvenir shops. Tokiya seems to be enjoying himself because he often flashes his rarest smile. 

What's surprising is that people don't even spare him or Ren a second glance. Ren does look unrecognizable with those eyeglasses and with his hair gathered in a ponytail and a fedora hat to cover it. But Tokiya… Tokiya with sunglasses can actually still be quite a head-turner.

The normalcy, however, ends when… when Cecil insists they try the rollercoaster rides – which Syo outright refuses because. So there they are, patiently waiting in line, when one of the attendants comes up to them and tells Ren and Tokiya that, "You need to take off your hats and glasses."

Otoya's pretty sure this isn't going to end well so he tells Tokiya that, "Maybe we should stay here and keep Syo company." 

But Tokiya lifts his sunglasses a little and peers down at him. "Do you want to get on this ride?" Well, yeah, he does, he's all for the thrill so he nods – vaguely – then Tokiya says, "Then we're getting on it," takes off his disguise and leave them with Syo.

Ren does the same and Otoya is quick to notice the heads turning their way. But they manage to get on the ride in peace and he lets himself get lost in the exhilaration of the sudden drops and twists and sharp turns until they're getting off feeling like… like he's been torn to pieces with his soul left somewhere in the rollercoaster track.

And when they step out in the open, just before Syo reaches them with Ren and Tokiya's disguises in his hands, Otoya hears the screams of, "It's Ichinose Tokiya and Jinguji Ren!" and like a tsunami, people are moving towards them real fast. 

"Make a run for it?" Ren tells Tokiya but then Masato steps in the way of the oncoming catastrophe, raises his hand with his palm out like—like some Japanese mythological deity in command and… and effectively stops the crowd from moving further like… like wow. 

Then Masato speaks in an authoritative voice. "These men, regardless of their status in society, are here to spend time with friends. I'm sure you all are intellectual enough to understand why you should respect their privacy." 

And just like that, the crowd disperses and Otoya can't help but say, "Oh hail, Masa."

It's almost five when they all declare that their feet are killing them so they decide to call it a day. 

Then Tokiya says, "Why don't we all have dinner at our place? A barbeque perhaps? We can pick up things we need at the supermarket on the way," which makes Otoya stare at him with his mouth hanging open because… well, Tokiya is a very private person and he never invites anyone over. Maybe it's because he's worried people might discover their secret but… but.

Ren's remark of, "That sounds like a perfect idea, Ichi. I'll finally get to see your house," snaps him out of his trance.

Otoya waits until the others are out of hearing range before leaning close to Tokiya to ask, "Are you sure about this?"

Tokiya just shrugs, says, "It's your friends' birthday. We can't let the day end here now, can we? Besides, I kind of like them. They make me feel… I don't know… normal?" and Otoya understands.

They make a quick stop at the supermarket then take two separate taxis home. 

When they get to their place, there's another surprise waiting for Otoya at their doorstep. He feels his whole world shift (again) as the person meets him halfway with a grin that… that just grates him. But… but the feeling of someone's hand pressed against the small of his back – Tokiya's no doubt – calms him a little so he takes a deep breath and says, "Eiichi. You...."

Eiichi steps into his bubble, says, "Hey Otoya. Did you miss me?" then a fist flies past the side of Otoya's head and lands straight into Eiichi's face, the impact throwing Eiichi back that he falls butt first on the ground.

Otoya whips his head around to see Tomochika standing beside him with her eyes practically on fire as she glares at Eiichi, her fist falling at her side. Then he hears Tokiya say, "Remind me never to cross your friend," close to his ear.

  


  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would anyone be interested in another RenMasa omake? Or would you prefer a side story instead? Just curious.


	4. Chapter 4

  


So much for privacy. 

Unfortunately, Tokiya is in no position to complain since this is his idea in the first place. But now he's not so sure if inviting everyone is such a good idea after all. Like a tempest, they tear their way through the quiet, private life that he takes pride in having been able to maintain despite being a public figure.

Otoya's friends are comparable to a cyclone, whirling around the house as if they know the place all too well, which isn't exactly farfetched since they've probably been here countless times. It's just—well, it feels like he's the outsider in his own home. 

Syo even has the gall to head straight to the kitchen, dig into the refrigerator, and re-emerge with a can of green tea without asking permission. His cyan eyes surveys the room, the creases forming on his forehead clearly suggests he finds something amiss. "Oi Otoya," he says. "Why's your kitchen all purple now?"

Tokiya's eye twitches at that. What is so wrong about purple?

"Uh. Hehe." Otoya scratches the back of his neck. "Tokiya likes it this way." He goes through the motion of taking an ice cube tray out of the freezer, dumping the contents in a bowl and grabbing a clean dish towel from the shelf while saying, "I think it's nice though. The color's pretty cool. And classy. And so… um… so Tokiya." Otoya scoops a handful of ice and wraps them with the dish towel. Tokiya pretty much has a clear idea what the cold compress is for and the mere thought has his veins wanting to pop out of his temples.

"Nice place you guys got here." Ren walks through the entryway from the living room, eyes wandering. "It's so… western."

A rosy color blooms on Otoya's cheeks. "My uh—my mom kinda had this place built. I was told that she was so taken by the western style house she visited once so…." Otoya shrugs then takes off towards the living room. Before Tokiya can move to follow him, Masato says, "May I take over the kitchen so I can start cooking?"

Tokiya balks, says, "Are you sure you don't mind doing this?" and regards Masato with uncertainty only because he's the host and thinks that he should be the one slaving in the kitchen, not a… well, not a guest.

It's Ren who answers though, says, "He loves to cook. It's his stress reliever," while pulling the ingredients out of the grocery bags. "I'm going to help Hijirikawa. Who's going to take care of the outdoor grill?"

Natsuki raises his hand. "I will."

Syo's quick to interject, says, "Oh no, you won't. Not alone anyway," with a horrified expression as if the idea of Natsuki handling the grill is a serious cause for dread. Then he announces, "I'm going to help Natsuki," while escorting the taller blond towards the sliding glass door leading to the backyard with Cecil in tow. 

When Tokiya walks into the living room, he finds Tomochika still pacing in front of the couch with her arms folded over her chest, watching Otori Eiichi like a hawk ready to strike a prey. 

Otoya shoves the towel-covered ice against Otori's face and Otori howls, says, "Fuck, that hurts," then his eyes flick over to Tomochika. "You punch like a freaking robot."

"You do know you brought this upon yourself," Tomochika bites back, every gesture feisty and her demeanor threatening enough to make Otori flinch visibly from his seat. 

"I already said I'm sorry," Otori says without any hint of contrite in his tone, his attitude edged with self-satisfaction that Tokiya won't blame Tomochika if she decides to drive her fist straight into his face once more.

The red-haired woman snarls, hands clenching into fists at her sides, then she shoots Tokiya an apologetic smile. "Not to be rude or anything, Ichinose-san, but I'm going out for a walk. If I stay within ten feet of this… this bastard, I'll probably end up killing him." She fixes Otori with a murderous glare when she says, "Or maybe I should, then I'll just tie some rocks around his body and throw him at the middle of the lake," with her eyes narrowing into slits.

Otori sinks further into the couch. "Otoya, I think you should keep your dog inside her cage."

Tomochika growls, says, "I should've broken your nose instead," and raises a fist as if to make a point. "Or perhaps I should make your other cheek swell."

Otoya lifts his hands and gestures with his palms out, says, "Maa-maa. Please don't fight in front of Tokiya," and glances at him looking all timid and… and…cute. 

"Shibuya-san." Tokiya thinks that maybe it's about time he steps in and be like a mediator or something before Otoya's friends do start killing each other. Imagine the scandal it can cause. "I heard Natsuki and Syo volunteered to work on the grill. Can you check on them and make sure they don't burn the house down?"

"Of course, Ichinose-san." She glowers at Otori one last time before stomping towards the back door.

Otoya gawks at him like he just did something heroic then mouths, _Thank you_ , before shifting his attention back to Otori. "You should keep the ice pressed against your cheek or else it will swell." 

Tokiya feels a sharp, visceral twinge somewhere between his chest and his abdomen when he sees Otoya stroke the battered spot on Otori's cheek with his thumb. 

Ren sidles next to him, saying, "If looks could kill," with a grin that can give the Cheshire Cat a run for his money. 

With an inquisitive askance look, Tokiya asks, "Aren't you supposed to be helping Hijirikawa-san in the kitchen?"

A semblance of contemplation crosses Ren's face. He lifts the can he's holding close to his mouth, says, "Kicked me out of the kitchen, threatened me with a knife," then takes a swig of his beer.

"Why is that I wonder?" Tokiya's eyes are lured back to Otoya and Otori who seem to be engaged in a hushed argument. 

Through the corner of his eye, he sees Ren shrug. "I just groped his ass, nothing wrong with that."

A nasty sound, almost like a pig's grunt, escapes through his nose only because he's trying not to laugh out loud and draw attention to himself. "Sometimes Ren, you can be really daft," he says, patting his friend on the arm. "Let's try to keep everything in PG rating while you're under my roof, okay?" 

Ren leers at him, says, "So display of violent, murderous intent shouldn't be allowed either, right?" with a teasing lilt.

Tokiya pulls his brows together in a faux frown. "Are you implying that I've been showing some sort of… for lack of a better word, disturbing behavior?"

That creepy grin is back on Ren's face, if only creepier, and he leans close enough to say, "If you can literally shoot bullets out of your eyes, Ichi, then that Otori guy would be dead by now," in a volume muted enough for just the two of them to hear. "Who is he anyway? He's not Ikki's ex, is he?"

The immediate thought that invades his conscious mind was, _Oh damn, how am I going to explain it without the risk of exposing our secret?_ but then Ren's last words catches up to his panicking brain and they bounce around his head like a mantra. _He's not Ikki's ex, is he? Ikki's ex. Ikki's ex. Is he… Otoya's ex? Damn!_ He has no idea, no clue about the nature of Otoya's relationship with Otori. Sure, Otoya did say they are friends but at what level exactly?

Tokiya is shaken out of his rambling thoughts when he sees Ren watching him with scrutiny. Ignoring the savage twist within his ribcage, he says, "He's just Otoya's friend," and prays to every divine entity in his pantheon that he's right because… because… _Ugh!_

Throwing one last glance at Otoya and Otori, Tokiya releases a short, ragged breath. The sight has somehow become unbearable that he can't possibly stay here for another minute. "I'm gonna go see what the guys outside are up to."

Ren swivels towards the opposite direction and with a languid wave of his hand, he says, "I'm gonna go check on Hijirikawa. If you don't hear from me in the next thirty minutes, please come and check if I'm still in one piece."

This time, Tokiya allows the laughter to ripple out of his mouth while he makes his way to the veranda. He steps out just in time to witness flames rising from the grill with Natsuki flapping a large cardboard against it. Judging from the frantic look framing the tall blond's face, Tokiya presumes Natsuki is attempting to extinguish it and is completely unaware that he's adding fuel to the erm… fire.

"You're making it worse!" Syo bellowed and snatches the cardboard out of Natsuki's hands.

Once Syo gains control of the grill after firmly demanding that Natsuki focuses on food arrangement instead, Tokiya deems it safe to offer help.

While he's preoccupied with the crucial task of turning over the meat sizzling over blazing charcoals, arms snake around his waist and a solid mass is pressed against his back. Tokiya shifts his head at an angle enough to catch sight of Otoya peering up at him through thick dark crimson lashes, his chin resting along the slope of Tokiya's shoulder. Tokiya's heart stutters and for an infinitesimal moment, he forgets to breathe.

"That smells good," Otoya says, eyes roaming over the array of food. 

Tokiya blinks at him then has to practically drag his focus back to the grill. "Wish I can take credit, but Hijirikawa-san was the one who seasoned all these."

"Yeah? But you're the one who takes great care to cook it just right." Otoya flashes his million watt smile and Tokiya struggles to look away, blinded by the radiant sight. His face suddenly feels warm and he's pretty sure it's not caused by the scorching heat emanating from the crackling embers before him.

"Hey guys," Tomochika says, deflecting Otoya's attention, and Tokiya's glad for her sudden interruption. "It's a nice weather. Maybe we can have dinner outside?"

"That's a great idea!" Otoya removes his arms from Tokiya, says, "I'll go get a table cloth," and then swiftly ducks into the house, leaving Tokiya missing the comfortable warmth he's been wrapped within.

When Otoya reemerges with a white cloth tucked under his arm, he hollers, "Natsuki! Eiich!, Help me set the table!" his face painted with unadulterated enthusiasm, so distracting that Tokiya almost forgets about the yakitori he's broiling. 

"Need help?" Cecil offers, already reaching for the spare pair of saibashi, and Tokiya takes this as an opportunity to escape Otoya's charm.

"Can you take over?" Tokiya says, laying the saibashi he's holding on a plate. "I'm gonna go get Ren and Hijirikawa-san."

"Sure."

Tokiya immediately regrets this decision though as soon as he walks into the kitchen and his eyes fall on Ren, who has Masato pinned against the wall, his lips are locked with Masato's and one hand is hidden under Masato's shirt.

 

*

 

Constantly checking the clock and pacing around the living room incessantly is definitely a perturbing habit to acquire but… but Tokiya can't help it. It's way past eleven in the evening and Otoya isn't home yet.

The redhead has been gone since noon, supposedly had a lunch meeting with Masato and the client. Then he called around four to inform Tokiya that Otori has invited him out for coffee. 

Some time around six, Otoya had sent a text message explaining in the most concise way that he and Otori were having a—um… talk. About what exactly? Tokiya didn't bother to ask, thought it wasn't – isn't – his place.

It is stated in the revised contract – agreement number 12 – neither of them has the right to ask about the other's daily affairs. They've probably broken this particular rule several times already, but Tokiya can't bring himself to overstep his bounds. Not now when…. 

_Damn it! Where the hell are you, Otoya?_

Now he regrets not prying. He's been trying to call Otoya for the past 5 hours but every attempt has been thrown to the automated voice response telling him that Otoya's phone is either turned off or not within the coverage area. This situation is pushing him near the edge of his patience that his sane composure is pretty much close to breaking.

"Otoya's not home yet?" He jolts at the sound of Cecil's voice, regardless of how cautiously soft the other has spoken.

"No. And I have no luck in getting a hold of him either. His phone's battery is probably dead." Tokiya tosses his phone on the center table, drops on the couch with a groan and rakes his fingers through his now unruly locks.

"I made some tea. Would you like some?" are the words that flutter out of Cecil's mouth but what Tokiya hears instead is _You look like shit and about to crumble, would you like some company?_ if the tentative smile sitting on Cecil's lips is anything to go by.

Tokiya usually prefers to wallow in quiet solitude but he's pretty much close to ripping his hair out because of the worry gnawing at the back of his head so. "Yeah sure." A casual conversation with Cecil might just be the distraction he needs.

When Cecil does return carrying a tray with 2 empty cups and a kettle of steaming beverage, Tokiya asks, "Do you have any idea where Otoya can be at this hour?" as nonchalantly as he can manage.

After placing the tray on the table, Cecil shrugs, slides beside Tokiya and says, "If he's out with Eiichi as you've said, they're probably at some karaoke bar. Singing is one of the few things they both enjoy doing together." The words _'out with Eiichi'_ and _'doing together'_ strike Tokiya in the wrong way. 

"They seem pretty close." Tokiya is unable to hide the resentment in his tone.

And Cecil must have noticed this because his eyebrow springs up his forehead in a cynical arc. Then he turns his focus back on the tray, pouring tea on the cups. "They are, I suppose," he says with a dubious inflection. He takes one cup, puckers his lips and blows on the green concoction. "But not as close as Otoya is with Natsuki and Syo, if you ask me." 

_If that's the case, then why does Otoya trust him so much to the point that he has given Otori authority over this house?_ is what Tokiya really wants to blurt out but that will inevitably open up a can of worms. His burning curiosity veers off in the wrong direction though that he ends up saying, "Did they, by any chance, date in the past?"

Cecil shoots him an _I-can't-believe-you-asked-that_ look, says, "They did," takes a sip of his tea then settles the cup back on the table. He clears his throat, the elliptical shape forming on his lips reveal a hint of amusement. "But it was only for a short while. Otoya said he found Eiichi too… well, weird. That's... Otoya's word, not mine. And he said dating him was probably the worst idea. So they agreed to settle back to being friends."

Now the irrational worry that has been bothering Tokiya levels up in intensity and his chest starts to feel really, really tight. "I see." He fights the urge to grab his damn phone and try calling Otoya regardless of the frustrating knowledge that it's futile at this point. _Damn it!_

"You're not jealous, are you?" Cecil's prying eyes are anchored on him as if… as if he's trying to peel away the many layers of his mask so that he can like peer into his soul. That, in itself, is freaking uncomfortable.

"I'm not." Tokiya reaches out for his cup and brings it to his lips just to prevent any unnecessary words from spilling out of his mouth.

"Good," Cecil says, tucking his right feet under his left thigh. "You shouldn't be anyway. I can see how much Otoya loves you."

Tokiya chokes on the hot liquid, inadvertently spitting the tea back in the cup. He sets it on the table amidst coughing, and once able to speak, he says, "H-he does? I—I mean did he tell you?"

Cecil's head tilts sideways, brows furrowing. "Not really. He didn't need to. I can see it with the way he looks at you." His eyes then stray over to the far corner of the living room, right at the wall where their large wedding portrait hangs. "Besides, you're already married, aren't you? Hasn't he told you he loves you?"

 _Shit._ Tokiya berates himself for being careless, says, "Of course, he has," as convincing as he can manage and hopes that the satisfied smile that graces Cecil's lips mean that he believes Tokiya.

The sound of the door opening followed by an enthusiastic, "Tadaima!" is just the interruption Tokiya needs.

Cecil is the one who hollers, "Okaerinasai! We're in here!"

Otoya rushes into the living room and stills the moment his eyes land on Tokiya. His lower lip is wedged between his teeth, shoulders pulled back and visibly tensed, and he shifts his weight from one leg to another just as he says, "Uh—I'm… I'm home."

Tokiya's blood rushes up to his head while he's caught between wanting to hug Otoya in relief and tearing Otoya apart for making him go through a bout of anxiety. "Welcome back. I hope you had a good time," he says through gritted teeth. Before Otoya can respond, he springs up on his feet, bows before Cecil and says, "Thanks for the tea, Aijima-san. Good night," then walks past Otoya while convincing himself that the nasty sting in his chest isn't the green-eyed monster clawing its way through.

 

*

 

When Cecil leaves for Agnapolis, Tokiya is eager for things to return to the way it has been before Cecil's arrival. Or at least he should be. Why is it then that there's an insurmountable feeling of emptiness growing inside him while watching Otoya haul all his things back to his room?

"Should we take down our wedding pictures at the living room?" Otoya says once he's done, his fingers playing with the hem of his t-shirt. 

Tokiya is so ready to acquiesce, but then he changes his mind, says, "No. Leave it there. Your friends often come by unannounced. They might notice the changes," which is true, but. Actually, seeing those pictures makes all these pretension somehow real to him.

"You have a point. Eiichi can't seem to break the habit of bursting inside without knocking." Otoya rubs the back of his neck, a chagrined smile playing on his lips. "I tried to tell him he can't do that anymore. But he's so stubborn. You have to forgive him."

Tokiya's hackles rise at the sound of that name. Hearing it always, always triggers an irritated mood but he can't – shouldn't – take it out on Otoya. "Speaking of which," he says, plopping down on the edge of his bed while watching every tiny gesture Otoya makes. "How can you forgive him so easily after what he's done?"

The redhead's shoulders droop as he exhales and lowers his gaze, looking like a kicked puppy and – _Fuck it!_ – if that isn't heartbreaking enough to witness. "Regardless of what he's done he's still my friend. And—and he did it only because he's in trouble? Like… like a matter-of-life-and-death trouble. So…" His eyelids seem to weigh a ton with how slow he lifts them up to look at him, ruby irises glistening when he says, "At least something good came out of it, ne? Because of what Eiichi did, I… I met you."

Something unravels in his chest and Tokiya can feel his cheeks getting warmer by the second. Heaven forbid if he's blushing. "Guess you're right," he says, the words coming out in tight knots.

"Anyone home?" Someone calls out from downstairs and even though he's heard it only a few times, Tokiya can pretty much identify the annoying voice. 

"Oh." Otoya jolts towards the door. "I forgot. Eiichi's here to pick me up for lunch." And he's gone before Tokiya can even open his mouth. 

The sound of Otoya's footsteps fading is like a douse of cold water that yanks him out of stupor and propels him to sprint out of the room, through the hallway and down those perilous steps. By the time Tokiya spills out of the main entrance, Otoya is already marching towards the gate with Otori.

"Otoya, wait!" he cries out as he jogs along the stone path. When Otoya pivots around and fastens bright carnelian eyes on him, the words Tokiya have yet to form evaporates, rendering his mind completely blank.

They stare at each other wordlessly until Otoya tilts his head a little and says, "What is it, Tokiya?"

Just. What the heck is he doing? "I uh…" Demand or beg. Demand or beg. "Don't leave," comes out assertively. Or maybe it sounds a little more desperate. Whatever. He doesn't give a shit. He just wants Otoya to stay. Or he just doesn't want him anywhere near Otori. Or both.

Otoya is studying him as if he can see the secret of the universe in Tokiya's eyes. Then the redhead shifts into a defensive stance when he says, "I won't be gone long." 

Eiichi edges closer to Otoya, his chin raised and an eyebrow arched in defiance. "Is there a particular reason why you don't want him to leave?" As if being Otoya's husband – contract or not – doesn't give him the right to ask. Or demand.

Now Tokiya can understand why Tomochika always has the impulse of throwing a punch against that smug face. But he chooses to ignore Otori and keeps his eyes locked with Otoya's instead. "There's… there's an incredible pile of laundry that needs to be done and I can't take care of them all by myself," is the first thing that springs to mind and he thrusts his lower lip out in a pout for good measure. 

Tokiya can almost hear the cogs in Otoya's head turning, can sense the debate that's undoubtedly going through Otoya's head. Then Otoya sighs, turns to Otori and says, "Sorry Eiichi. I forgot about the laundry. I've been putting it off for the past few days."

A victorious satisfaction dances in Tokiya's chest and he's much too busy gloating that the glare Otori throws his way, regardless of how threatening, doesn't faze him at all. Then Otori turns to Otoya with a conniving smile. "It's okay. Maybe tomorrow?"

 _Over my dead body._ "He needs to clean the house tomorrow." Tokiya's mouth runs away before his brain can catch up.

Otori folds his arms over his chest, nose flaring. "What is he? Your servant?"

Tokiya is so tempted to tell him that _No, but that is Otoya's end of the bargain,_ and maybe rub it in his face that Otoya's situation stems from his dick move to sell the house but there's no way of doing that without revealing the nature of their contract so instead, he says, "He's my husband and he should know his place."

Otori opens his mouth with a clear intent of retaliation but Otoya jumps right in and says, "He's right, Eiichi. I can't be hanging out with you all the time when Tokiya needs me here. He's my top priority now."

The stupefied expression that breaks out on Otori's face when he utters, "Y-yeah, of course," is priceless. Tokiya should've brought his phone with him so he can take a picture.

"I'll call you if I want to hang out," Otoya tells Otori, guiding him to the gate. "I'm going to be busy with work in the next few weeks anyway." 

"Sure. I…" The defeated look stays on Otori even as he pulls his car door open but his usual pompous, egotistic façade surfaces soon enough when he lifts his hand in a wave. "See you around, Tokiya."

Ire ignites within Tokiya. He curls a hand into fist to keep his temper in check as he grinds out, "That's Ichinose-san to you."

As soon as Otori's car is out of sight, Tokiya faces Otoya by sheer force and his breath catches at the sight of the redhead beaming at him with what he reads as fond admiration. And the smile Otoya offers is heartwarming enough to make him melt inside.

 

*

 

So Tokiya has to haul his ass back on location for the final filming of the movie. Otoya is still asleep when he leaves right before the crack of dawn, hoping to avoid rush hour traffic. 

The reluctance of leaving Otoya with the disconcerting knowledge that Otori is back in the picture churns in his gut. If only he can take Otoya with him. But he will be busy with his own work for the entire week. Tomochika has promised to look after him since she doesn't trust Otori either.

They're in Nagoya for the first two days and it's already grueling as it is. What keeps him going are the encouraging messages he receives from Otoya which never cease to come, even during the wee hours after midnight. 

When they move to Tokyo, he inevitably relinquishes the leisure of being in constant contact with Otoya. To say work becomes hectic will be an understatement. Sleep is nothing but a luxury – a farfetched goal – that leaves Tokiya functioning solely on coffee and energy drinks, hardly getting any respite, barely able to keep track of time. 

Eventually, his muscles feel like they've turned to concrete, his joints like hard rubber and his veins like barbed wires. His brain seems bloated and leaking water that he walks around with a heavy head as a consequence. There isn't a single doubt that he will have dark circles under his eyes and a concentration of a toddler the next time he meanders into the set. Even Ren can't hide the exhaustion that's pretty much evident on his appearance. 

When he finally gets the break he's been craving for, the first thing he does is check his phone. There are about forty-three unread messages – all from Otoya (well, roughly 97% of it is from Otoya and 3% from his manager – but Reiji is the last person he wants to hear from right now) – most of which are earnest reminders for Tokiya not to miss his meals and some are concise anecdotes about Otoya's day – or days. 

The one message that stands out is the most recent, simple three words – _'I miss you'_ – but weighed with sincerity that sends a wistful smile tugging on the corners of his mouth. 

"It's rare to see you smile so genuinely, Ichinose-san," someone says, jostling him out of his musing that he jerks his head up in reaction. He's not stumped in the slightest to see Nanami Haruka since she happens to be one of the very few production assistants who have the nerve of steel to interact with him, even on his worst days. But she still gets flustered easily so it's no surprise that she ends up stammering, "I—I mean… I'm not saying your smiles aren't genuine at all. It's just… It's just right now, you look um… I don't know… different?"

Tokiya is too tired to analyze the meaning behind Nanami's words, so he asks, "What do you mean?" while resigning to the fact that his worn out brain is going through a minor malfunction at the moment. 

"Oh." Nanami's eyes widen and a crimson tint spreads across her cheeks. "It's just that I uh… I've noticed you've changed. I guess most of us have been expecting that you'd blow up easily like you used to, considering you've been working nonstop for days. But…" She shrugs and lifts her hands to tuck a lock of apricot hair behind her ear. "But now you… you seem calm and you're even smiling. And… and there's this sort of ethereal glow around you. Like… like the kind you see on people in love." 

His brain jumpstarts, processing everything he's been told. He gapes at Nanami and asks, "Uh… I do?"

Nanami nods and offers him a warm smile. "Uhuh. I guess your husband has that kind of effect on you."

Tokiya is pretty sure he's lighting up like the Tokyo Tower at night. "You're probably right." 

Then Nanami runs off with a muttered excuse about an errand or something along those lines, leaving Tokiya alone with his phone once more. Otoya's message is still on display. 

His thumbs move on their own accord, skipping over the keypad until he's staring at the words _'I miss you too'_ spanning across the screen. Should he send it? Maybe not. There's no harm if he does, right? 

When someone bellows his name, calling him back on the set, he thinks, _Oh what the heck,_ so he taps on the send button and tucks his phone into the safety of his pocket.

Later, he discovers two new messages from Otoya. One filled with emoticons which Tokiya can't tell if they're supposed to mean something. The other reads, _'Can't keep my eyes open anymore. Good night, Tokiya,'_ which forges a clear picture in his head where the redhead has his mouth stretched wide open in a yawn just before he collapses on his bed. 

On the last day of filming, they wrap up before the sun even sets. And just like the other cast members, Tokiya receives a bouquet as a customary gesture, knows it's the production team's way of saying, _Good job, well done. Thank you for your hard work,_ but Ren just has to ruin it when he says, "Looks like funeral flowers considering I feel like I'm half dead after this week."

When he returns home, he finds Otoya in the kitchen and a home-cooked meal waiting at the dinner table. "Okaeri," Otoya says, the earnest smile he offers dissolves the weariness flowing through his body. "I bet you're hungry."

"I am now," Tokiya says and starts helping Otoya set the table. His eyes are drawn to the calendar on the wall. Written in the box for today's date is _'Tokiya comes home'_ with a heart drawn in red pen beside it. 

 

*

 

Reiji usually throws him a party on his birthday but Tokiya declines his offer, preferring to stay at home with Otoya than rub shoulders with people he hardly knows. 

"Let's have a picnic," Otoya suggests, his enthusiasm so contagious that Tokiya decides to just go with the flow. 

He helps Otoya prepare some onigiri and sandwiches then throws in some sliced fruits and vegetables in the bento boxes. With him carrying the picnic basket and Otoya has his guitar case slung over his shoulder, they set out towards the lake, or at least that's where he thinks they're going. Until Otoya makes a detour, says, "I know a perfect place," and then leads him towards the hills.

The summer heat and the cool lakeside breeze wage war in the atmosphere, creating a more comfortable temperature compared to the sweltering heatwave in Tokyo. It's at times like this that he considers living close to a body of water and along the mountainside a blessing. 

It's so pretty out here. He's been too busy with work he hardly has time to appreciate this place. 

Yellow green grass stretches over the earth, its tangy scent wafting through the air, mingling with the sweet aroma of summer flowers and the musty smell of dried soil. They reach the part where the slope is steeper and Tokiya has to focus lest he wants to lose his foothold. 

Otoya grabs his hand, the contact sends an electrifying tingle coursing through his arm all the way to the back of his neck and to the tips of his ears, his pulse quickening and his mind zoning in on the strength of the redhead's grip. Their hike through the narrow, stony pathway barely registers until they're standing on even ground where there are several fire trees scattered around, their orange or red leaves a contrast to the few remaining green ones. 

Curious, Tokiya asks, "Where exactly are we going?" not that he minds the trek since he can sure use the exercise and fresh air will do him good. Besides, he's been planning to explore the area but he worries about getting lost.

"We're almost there," Otoya says, letting go of Tokiya's hand and taking off through the winding path to their left. 

"I hope there aren't any snakes around here." That's one thing Tokiya doesn't appreciate about nature: Creatures that slither or roam around and is a potential danger to anyone's life. 

Otoya sniggers, says, "Don't worry, I'll protect you," with a wink, which isn't reassuring at all. When Tokiya pointedly glares at him, he laughs even more. "I'm kidding. There aren't any snakes here. At least, I haven't seen any. There are treefrogs though but there aren't a lot during summer."

Great. Frogs aren't any better.

They soon reach a clearing and the scenery that unfolds before them stuns Tokiya to a standstill. Rich green grass stretches over the crest that curves at a height perfect enough to provide a panoramic view of the lake and the town below them. His eyes scan the breathtaking picture, painted in an earthy hue of gray and blue framed in green and strokes of burnt burgundy – which seems to be the common color of the roofs of the houses littered around the lake. It's almost like… like he's on top of the world. 

"You okay?" Otoya calls out from where he's spreading the blanket. "We better get started so we can head back before dark."

Tokiya laments the thought of leaving this place. "If you would've told me where we were going, I would've suggested that we bring a tent and stay here overnight."

Otoya grins up at him, teeth on display. "If I didn't have an early meeting with Masa tomorrow morning, I would have suggested the same thing. But I'm glad you like this place."

A sappy warmth blossoms in his chest. "It's perfect. Thank you." He sinks across Otoya, sits on his heels seiza-style, and starts unloading the bento boxes. There's a small, pastel blue box in the picnic basket that he didn't notice earlier. Otoya pulls it out and lifts the lid to reveal a round cake covered in white icing with raspberries, grapes, peach and kiwi slices on top. There's a single candle at the center and a flat piece of white chocolate stuck between the fruits where the words _'Happy Birthday, Tokiya'_ are written.

"Happy birthday." Otoya beams at him like the first light of the day, his eyes gleaming with open tenderness that steals Tokiya's breath away.

"Thank you," is all Tokiya can utter, the warm, pleasant glow swirling in his chest leaves him speechless.

Lighting the candle proves to be difficult with the wind constantly blowing off the tiny little flame. So when Otoya succeeds in keeping it alive and flickering, he gives a loud 'whoop' then holds out the cake for Tokiya to blow with one hand, the other acting like a shield around the candle. "Make a wish first."

There's nothing on top of his head right now so he makes a selfless one for Otoya to see his dreams come true. Then he releases a stream of air from his lungs to snuff out the flame, leaving strands of smoke evanescing in its wake.

Otoya places the cake down, his thumb now covered in icing. So he sticks them in his mouth, lips curving into a smile around it, the corners of his eyes crinkling. His facial gesture is a dichotomy between looking as innocent as gummy bears and ponies and as sultry as a porn star. 

The sensual display destroys what little self-control he has left that Tokiya can't help but gravitate towards Otoya, his eyes trained on the thumb sliding out of Otoya's mouth, on Otoya's lips that bear the color of freshly picked peaches. He wonders if they taste as sweet as they look. 

Without giving his brain the chance to catch up and convince him that this is a terrible mistake, Tokiya closes the distance between them and presses his lips against Otoya's, his eyes falling shut. Otoya's body turns rigid and Tokiya thinks, _Oh shit,_ but then… but then Otoya's kissing back, his lips sliding with his, against his.

Otoya is the first to pull away, his face reflecting the color of his hair. "Um." His hands start working on uncovering the food containers and Otoya is too focused on the task, his lower lip caught between his teeth. "We should eat. Here," he says, handing Tokiya a bento without meeting his eyes. He's just… he's too adorable. Tokiya wants nothing more than to gather him in his arms. 

"Thank you," he says, taking the box, making sure to brush his finger with Otoya's. 

An awkward tension swells between them that they spend the whole time eating in silence. Tokiya is so ridden with guilt thinking that kissing Otoya might have not been the right move after all, that… that he may have broken some cosmic rule about contract marriages – some unwritten do's and don'ts. 

Apology is already on the tip of his tongue when Otoya speaks, says, "I forgot to bring a knife. But I did bring forks. Would you like to eat the cake now or save it for later?"

There isn't any hint of discomfort lingering on Otoya's posture anymore so Tokiya takes it as a good sign and relaxes. "We can have a few bites now and finish the rest at home."

"Okay." Otoya hands him a fork and stabs into the cake with his own. He lifts the rather large piece up to Tokiya's mouth, says, "Open up," to which Tokiya obliges. 

What he doesn't expect is for Otoya to smash the piece of confectionery heaven against the edge of his mouth, smearing the icing on his face in the process. The redhead bursts into a fit of giggles, says, "Birthday tradition," then rises on his feet, already poised to flee.

"Birthday tradition, huh?" Tokiya wipes the icing off the spot close to his jaw, his facial muscles strained from the effort to keep a poker face in place. Getting up to his feet proves difficult since his legs seem to have fallen asleep. When he manages to stand, he swoops down to swipe his fingers on the cake, says, "It's on," and charges after the redhead. 

Otoya doesn't seem to put much effort in escaping because Tokiya catches up to him right away. He winds his arm around Otoya's waist then rubs his icing-covered fingers on the redhead's cheek and on the tip of his nose.

Reduced to a sniggering mess, Otoya says, "No, wait, stop," with a weak attempt to grab at Tokiya's arm. 

Satisfied with his work, Tokiya presses a kiss on Otoya's cheek before releasing him then he saunters back to their spot like nothing happened. "I hope you packed some of those sanitary wipes or wet towels or else I'm going to ask you to lick this sticky stuff off my fingers," he says and when he catches sight of Otoya's scandalized look, he belatedly realizes the innuendo in his words. 

Watching Otoya's face turn a pretty shade of scarlet and hearing him stutter, "Uh—I—I… I did. It's—it's—it's in the basket," is the cherry on top of everything that has happened today. And the day isn't even over yet.

The trek back to their house is relatively faster since traipsing down the hill is easier than climbing up. 

Apparently, the picnic isn't the only surprise Otoya has up his sleeves. Before dinnertime, he drives Tokiya out of the kitchen, claiming that he will prepare special dishes which he admits he has learned from Masato.

So Tokiya lingers at the study and while waiting, he rifles through the contents of his safe box then pulls out a piece of paper that oddly weighs heavy in his hand. 

It's been a while since he's last seen the contract. He has actually forgotten most of what has been written there. He settles behind his desk and scans the page, snorting when he sees _'Kissing anyone, including each other is not allowed'_ beside number 8 and _'Provocative or sensual touches should be avoided'_ beside number 16 and _'Neither of us may fall in love with the other'_ beside number 20. 

Such useless rules. Such pointless agreement. Tokiya considers tearing up the contract or burning it but. Well, he should at least get Otoya's opinion. 

No.

Just.

Just what exactly is he doing? Getting involved with anyone isn't part of his immediate plan in life. That's one of the reasons why he's in this contract marriage in the first place. 

With a groan, he drops his head on the desk and reflects on everything that has happened from the day Otoya storms into his life. 

"Dinner's ready." He bolts upright at the sound of Otoya's sweet, mellisonant voice. 

"Oh. Okay. Be right there." Tokiya shoves the contract in the top desk drawer as soon as Otoya leaves the room, making a mental note to talk to Otoya about it.

  



End file.
